Sitting On The Baby
by HPOD sufferer
Summary: Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night. Harry didn't just survive...He travelled through time. AS A BABY. Full summary inside. A child can't change the world. No, but he can change people.
1. The Rightful Time

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 29th April , 8:39PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.**

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**Chapter 1:(this chapter Doesn't have a name, any suggestions?) For now it will be called: The Rightful Time**

_'Twas the night before Christmas _(change that to Halloween),_ when all through the house  
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse_

_--A time of darkness, uncertainty and fear,_

_No one knew that the end was near._

_And a figure came walking, along the abandoned street,_

_Never guessing that soon his downfall he would meet._

_But a loop in the proceedings seemed inevitable,_

_So many possibilities in this treasured fable.-HPOD-

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Our story begins in a house, situated in a town by the name of Godric's Hollow.

This house is quite unremarkable, at the end of a street full of houses that look exactly the same as the next one. Now some people would say that it was for this reason that your eyes seemed to slide over the place where this house was. You weren't aware of it either-how can you notice something when the problem is exactly that-you can't realise it's even there? Neighbours hardly ever mentioned it either. It just wasn't important. All they knew was a family lived there. End of story. Nothing more of interest to be said.

However, it is because of the fact that it this house goes unnoticed that it is interesting.

At the moment it is night time. It is quite dark. The new moon passed a few days ago, and many of the town's inhabitants have decided to go to bed early. But not the house we are observing. Inside this particular house sit a young family. The Potter family, to be precise and presently they are celebrating Halloween.

Add the fact that they are a magical family, and many would press their noses against the windows. Not that they would be able to find the family. For the family is protected by a charm, so that no one may find them. The Potters are trying to avoid being found, as someone is searching for them. A person with very bad intentions. A person who wants to kill the Potter family. Mostly their fifteen-month old son, Harry Potter.

Sadly, the charm has, for reasons that a neither here nor there, not worked. If any of the neighbours were to wake up, and to look out their windows and out onto the shadowy street they would see a most fearful sight.

A cloaked figure walks along the road. Hood up, he is quite non descript. But the air about him is terrifying. Even without seeing his face you can see he is, to put it simply, dangerous. He is tall, and if the way the cloak falls about him tells a tale, he is thin. One pale hand, that looks like a large, pale, spindly spider is held out in front of him, holding a stick. A stick you ask? No, it is a weapon...the weapon of a wizard. It is a wand. In an almost business like stance he hurries down the street, eyes fixed on the house. Eyes that should slide to the next house. Red eyes filled with hate, hate that a human being should not possess. Also a gleam that shows he is used to this situation, and is oblivious to the stench of death and fear he brings with him. Or perhaps he enjoys the smell.

He has reached the gate, and soundlessly it opens. Silently he makes his way up the gravel path. Or that is, until he stubs his toe on one of the large stones. It does not seem to cause him pain, rather he kicks it with malice. The stone goes flying, hitting a flower pot with an audible _clunk._

In the living room, a man sitting on the windowsill looks out towards the source of the sound. Eyes widening he turns in panic to the room, where a red haired woman sits smiling fondly at the man, and the baby boy in his arms. the pair seem to stare at each other numbly forever, but in all actuality only two seconds. then the man's voice rings out, panicked "LILY! He's here, it's Him!"

The woman's reaction is immediate. Her eyes widen considerably, and she stiffens.

The man cries out again to her. "Lily, take Harry and RUN! I'll try to hold him off!"

It is a good thing the gravel path is long.

The woman acts like a robot, clutching the baby from her husband's grasp. As soon as the soft warmth of the child registers, her eyes, if possible, grow larger. Her eyes lock with her husbands'.

The man kisses her quickly, fiercely. "Go, NOW!"

Like a rabbit she turns tail and flee, reaching the top of the stair case just as a _click_ runs through the house. The click of the locked front door unlocking itself.

The man in the living room stands up, drawing out a wand from his pocket. He gulps. Footsteps could be heard, walking softly...into the room where James Potter stood, preparing himself.

"Hello James, it's such a pleasure to meet you," said a soft voice. James was sure, had he been a more cowardly man, that he would have wet his pants then and there. As it was, he raised an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately I can't return that sentiment."

"No matter." The Dark Lord had not even removed his hood, but seemed to decide that this moment called for this type of action. James stood unfazed as he gazed upon the face of his adversary.

"You don't scare me," James said, mentally congratulating himself on how strong his voice sounded.

"No, I terrify you," Voldemort, giving a soft smile.

"The day I feel anything akin to fear of you is the day I die," James stated.

"So you will die today. Then your wife shall die, then your son."

"Never." James wondered fleetingly whether it was normal to have such a conversation in such an unusual situation. He brought out his wand in front of him, willing to fight. With a lazy flick of Voldemort's own wand, James' wand flew across the room, far from his reach.

"You've already lost, James Potter."

"Like I said, never. You will never win, not if I have anything to do with it." James answered, meaning the words.

"Then I must make sure you have nothing more to do with it," the Dark Lord stated lightly. "Avada Kedavra." The words were spoken with the tone one has when speaking of the weather-impersonal, uninterested. Less than a second later, a frightened red-head on the floor above, shook as she heard a _thud_ beneath her feet. She turned to the baby in the crib, stroking his black hair.

"It's okay baby, daddy's okay, you'll be okay," she reassured the baby, but trying to convince herself even more. She turned to the locked door, checking it was still just that-locked. Footsteps could be heard in the hallway. With a sickening jolt, Lily realised that she had left her wand downstairs. The footsteps stilled.

The door flew open, ripping away from the frame and collapsing at her feet. With a gulp she lifted her gaze from the floor.

"Leave me alone," she said quietly, in a childlike voice.

"Step aside girl, I've been here long enough," the man commanded in a bored tone.

"No! Leave him alone, what has he ever done to you, he's only a baby!"

"Step aside, and I'll let you live."

"No, just go!"

"Step aside you foolish child!"

"Why won't you just leave him, he's only a child, defenceless, he'd never harm you!"

The Dark Lord lost his patience.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

_Thump._

The eyes looked further into the room, where a white crib stood. Inside was a baby, just sitting. Sitting, staring at his parent's murderer. Emerald green eyes met with scarlet. Voldemort took a step into the room.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter," the Dark Lord whispered, raising his wand for the last time. Green light erupted from the tip, travelling across the room. Then, just over the place where Lily Potter's body lay, it seemed to pause. The whole room glowed green.

"Dada!" little Harry Potter cried in wonderment at the light. "Mama, dan Pafof!" with a tiny shriek he clapped his hands.

Voldemort could only watch as the barrier of sorts around the child seemed to warp and twist under the pressure of the curse. Like a ball of electricity it crackled around the child, one bolt lashing out and hitting Harry on the forehead, upon which he yelled out in a baby scream. Then the green light turned tail and fled from the ball surrounding the baby, heading, to his horror, towards the Dark lord.

Pain beyond pain. That's what the Dark Lord felt in that moment, as his soul was ripped from his body, which was no longer.

A shadow, it seemed, fled from the place where the charred remains of the house stood.

The dome around Harry Potter remained, glowing faintly red.

"Mama?" the baby said uncertainly. "Dada? Woomta? Padfof?" The ball throbbed around him comfortingly. "Hawwy want mama!"

The ball shrunk toward the child in the centre. Soon the ball was like a glow on his skin. And then little baby Harry Potter seemed to fade from existence.

A seventeen year old Lily leaned back. She was glad to be going to Hogwarts again. _This will be my last ride to Hogwarts,_ she thought. With a sigh she glanced out the window of the Hogwarts express.

"Hello Evans," said a all-to-familiar voice. Lily turned with a disdainful look on her face to the door, where a boy stood. Black haired, with hazel eyes and glasses, he was the most arrogant, conceited, egoistical, puffed-up, annoying, rude, mean, and many other adjectives she couldn't bother to add boy on the planet in her opinion.

Add the fact she had just seen the Head Boy badge on his robes, she could safely say she hated him. She always would.

Clasping her hands together and stretching her arms out in front of her she looked away, planning to ignore him. Plans often don't go according to plan, however.

Because at that moment a faint red glow appeared between her arms. She paused, looking at it. Perhaps her anger at Potter had manifested?

The glow grew larger.

"HAWWY WANT MAMA!"

With a moment of disbelief, Lily's eyes widened at the sight in front of her. A baby had just appeared in her arms.

"MAMA! HAWWY WANT MAMA!" the baby cried again. Not knowing what else to do, Lily brought the baby to her chest, rubbing the small of his back.

"It's ok baby, I'm here," she soothed.

She pointedly ignored the snicker from the doorway.

"Bit young, aren't you Lils?" said a seventeen year old James Potter.

"Both you and I know I've never seen this child before in my life."

"Then why's he in your arms?"

"You answer that Potter."

James moved into the compartment, making Lily wrinkle her nose, and sat opposite her. She placed the now hiccuping baby on the seat, where he rolled over facing the cushion sucking his thumb and promptly fell asleep.

After a few moments of silence, James chuckled gently. "This must be a record, you haven't made me get out of here yet."

"Tired." Lily answered simply.

"Oi, Prongs!"

James turned to the door, where a young man stood. With dark hair and grey eyes, he was one of the better looking boys in Hogwarts. He bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.

Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend.

"You know," said Lily, "baby-sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."

Sirius stared at the baby, then Lily, then James, the baby again, and laughed. "Where'd it come from, surely it's not yours Lily, surely!"

"Of course not," she snapped. "He just... appeared."

"You know James," he said thoughtfully, glancing at his friend. "He looks quite a bit like some photos I've seen...your baby pictures."

Blushing, James sneaked a covert look at the baby. "Hey, he's bleeding!" he cried, noticing the red trickle from the baby's forehead. Lily lifted the baby to look at her and frowned. James reached into his pocket and drew out a handkerchief, handing it to Lily "-here."

Carefully she wiped the blood away and was relieved when it didn't bleed more. She looked with concern at the lighting-bolt shaped cut. "What ever happened to you?" she asked him softly.

"Hawwy mama," said the baby, resting his small, black haired head on her shoulder. His head was on it's side, so he could see Sirius. "He Pafof."

Sirius and James looked shocked.

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**A/n: huh, Huh? Do you like? Soz to anyone reading M.T.D.S, I'm having a break. Boiling the water to get more steam as it is...and what better place than the climax. But back to this story. I thought there were to many 'older' versions of 'Hawwy' going back in time, and with all the complications of him dealing with keeping hisbig mouth shutand...ta da! I probably won't be writing in such a fablish style if I do more chapters...if you want any, that is!**

**Review, or I'll get Hawwy to spew on you.**


	2. Remember Their Future Kiss

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 19thMay , 8:16PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

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**Chapter 2: Remember Their Future Kiss**

_When remembering the future, there is one thing to learn,_

_Everything will happen, everything will have it's turn._

_And asa baby, with his small fingers and mind,_

_Yet one memory can come, when you unbind._

_But if you forget to remember, please do this:_

_Remember the best moment, the one where they kiss.

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Lily Evans had found herself in a very odd predicament. The boys had refused, flat out, to explain their shock at the baby's words, to her great annoyance. Instead, they had begun a game of wizard's chess..._in her compartment. In her head compartment._ And even if James Puff-Potter was head boy, the fact remained that Sirius-ly stupid Black was not.

And to top it all off, she had to take care of a gurgling baby which had appeared out of nowhere. She wondered idly if it was possible for babies to do accidental Apparition as well as accidental magic. But enough of that, she would give the babe to a teacher to take care of once she got to Hogwarts. Not her responsibility.

Yet she could not help a maternal feeling towards the sweet child.

Presently, he was singing. "Gum-gum in da garden, wike a tweddy bwear...wum step, twoo step, twikle uder dere!" the boy moved his fingers in a lame attempt at tickling her stomach. He giggled, and then grabbed her hand again. He hit it "Gum-gum in da garden, wike a tweddy bwear..." he started to move his hand up her arm towards her stomach "wum step, twoo step..."

He fluttered his fingers "twikle uder dere!"

She shifted, and caught his attention. Lamp-like green eyes turned to her in wonderment. "Do you know _Twinkle Little Star?"_

The baby smiled shyly. "Twikle, twikle, widdle star..." his face scrunched up in confusion.

"How I wonder..." Lily began.

"What ooo are!" She smiled happily at him, and nodded encouragingly.

"Up above the world so high..." she waited for him.

"Wike a dwimand in da sky."

"Twinkle, Twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are!" they finished together.

The pair sang songs for the next few hours, when Lily deposited the baby on the seat and headed for the bathroom to change. Sirius and James pulled on their robes, and sat down. The baby gurgled.

"Pafof!" the baby said accusingly, glaring at Sirius. The boys exchanged worried looks.

"How does he...?" Sirius left the question hanging. It made no sense.

The baby stretched his arms out to Sirius. "Pafof, now!" He said in a grumpy, commanding, childish voice. Sirius hesitantly stretched out a finger.

The baby stared at it for a full minute, then burst into wails.

Just then, Lily entered. One look at the baby, the boys, and she placed her hands on her hips.

The train pulled up at Hogsmeade station.

Lily clenched her jaw, and picked up the baby, settling him on her hip. Turning to James she said sternly "You, head boy, need to come with me to McGonagall to," she hitched the baby significantly. James smirked.

And that was how he happened to be in her horseless carriage instead of the usual gaggle of girls; four boys watching her intently. One glare and two of them looked away. The other two...she continued to glare.

"Could I hold him?" James asked after a while.

Lily ignored him. It was for this reason that she was so startled when the squishy warmth left her arms. Her gaze focused, to see James holding the boy awkwardly under the arms. The baby gave a feeble kick. A thoughtful look passed the seventeen year-old's face, and he lowered the baby's belly to his face. A soft raspberry sound emitted form the pair and the baby began to giggle helplessly. More raspberries continued, until Lily finally exclaimed "Will you desist?"

James lowered the black-haired boy to his lap and pulled an old, worn snitch from his pocket. He let it go, and caught it quickly.

"Daddy wif da switch!" the baby explained to Remus, who was sitting next to James. Remus contemplated him, then nodded. "Hawwy want switch!"

Sirius and Remus exchanged a smirk.

"You want the snitch, do you?" James asked, shaking the golden ball in the baby's face. He got a nod for an answer. "Then go get it!" he said, and released it. The balls zoomed around the carriage- Lily ducked. Harry calmly snatched it out of the air as it soared past.

"Dat was a slow switch," Harry grunted, dumping in into James's slack hand.

The boys in the carriage just stared at him.

Lily huffed the rest of the way to the castle. James continued to let the snitch go, and the baby would immediately pluck it out of the air, and frown at the older boy as he handed it back, in a most accusing manner.

Lily was quite glad when the carriage stopped. She jumped out, and took the child from the head boy's arms. She stomped all the way up the castle steps angrily, the four boys on her heels.

In the entrance hall, Professor McGonagall was chivvying students into the Great Hall. She turned to the next lot which included Lily, James, Remus, Sirius, Peter and the baby. Upon seeing the baby, her face went stern.

"What is the meaning of this?" she said, casting a look at Sirius for some reason.

Lily was so very glad to be able to get rid of the child. He would probably be in the arms of his worried parents (heaven forbid if they were muggles like her own) by the time the feast had finished. "Well, you see Ma'am, he appeared out of nowhere."

The raised eyebrow stated very easily what the Deputy Head thought of this.

"I mean, I was on the train, when James here-" she jerked a thumb to the afore mentioned head boy "- just arrived, when I stretched, and this baby just appeared in my arms, and started to cry." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Is it possible he accidentally Apparated, Ma'am?"

Sirius snickered at the look on his professor's face.

"Well...uh. No, I don't think-" McGonagall paused as if to pull herself together. "I think it's prudent we meet with the Headmaster, don't you?"

Lily's arms were starting to ache; the baby was getting rather tiresome. "Ok."

"Well, I think it's best if only the ones who were present-"

"I'm coming!" Cried Sirius. Remus and Peter nodded their assent. McGonagall surveyed them imperiously.

She turned without another word, and headed up the marble staircase. It was halfway to Dumbledore's office that they ran- quite literally- into the Headmaster. James rubbed his bottom as he got to his feet. The Headmaster looked pleasantly surprised and smiled indulgingly.

"Well, well, well... What are we all doing here, I was under the impression I was running late for the feast!" He said.

James, as much as he liked the man, had always thought Dumbledore was quite odd. Moments like these only strengthened his opinion.

"Yes, quite." McGonagall said stiffly. "However, there has been...a disruption."

"Ho, really!" Dumbledore said, never once ceasing to gaze at the Marauders. It was almost as if he had been in this situation many times.

Lily stepped forward. " A baby appeared out of nowhere on the train, Headmaster.

A tiny puzzled expression filled out the old man's face, and he inquiringly drifted his arms towards the baby, which was now dozing on Lily's shoulder. She gently handed the baby over, and Dumbledore cradled the black haired child in his arms, grinning down at him.

The baby blinked, and opened his eyes, gazing up at the wizened face. "Dwumblebwore..." he muttered sleepily.

"Hello, what's your name?" Dumbledore enquired.

"Hawwy. You Dwumblebwore."

"Hello Harry, I am indeed Dumbledore," the Headmaster said jovially.

The baby had already fallen asleep. Dumbledore looked up, slightly concerned. "I have never met this child, to the best of my knowledge, yet he knows my name. Very interesting."

"Do you have any idea who his parents are?"

"No... there have been no magical children under the name of Harry born in Europe in the last five years," Dumbledore said, the lines on his forehead deepening. He looked up at the collected students. "I must look into this. But for now-" he gave the baby back "-could I ask that you care for him during the feast?"

Lily nodded dumbly.

Dumbledore's lips stretched and his eyes go back some of the life that was usually there. Pulling out and odd pocket watch, he gasped. "My, my!"

Lily glanced at her own watch. "Oh, we're SO late!"

The group had already started making their way to the Great Hall. At the door, Dumbledore turned his head to Lily. "I know how to fix this-" Lily frowned. "- We'll just say that everyone is early!"

Dumbledore and McGonagall went through the doors, leaving Lily gaping. "Coming?" James asked, hand on her elbow. She let him lead her docilely to the Gryffindor table, the whole student body muttering. As soon as she had slipped into her seat, Dumbledore stood up, spreading his arms out wide.

"Welcome, boys...girls...and in-betweens" (many students giggled) "to another wonderful, I'm sure, year at Hogwarts! I don't know about you, but I would really rather **eat!"** At this last word, the tables filled themselves with food, and students dived in, chatting happily.

Lily discretely pulled out her wand and conjured a pillow, and sat the little boy named Harry on it. He had woken with all the sound, but instead of wailing or being grumpy, he smiled delightedly. As Lily served herself some Shepard's' pie, the girls around her started to coo and act all soppy with the baby. Alice, one of Lily's friends who was sitting on the other side of Harry, picked him up and placed him on her lap. Scooping up some mashed potato, she waved it in front of the baby teasingly. "Here comes the broomstick!" she said.

Lily rolled her eyes as the baby munched happily. "I think he can eat _some _solids Alice!"

Alice blushed, and picked up a small piece of chicken, which Harry refused. Putting it down, she turned back to Lily. "What's his name?"

"Harry."

It was not Lily who said this- James had extracted himself from his Quiddich conversation further up the table to hear Alice's last statement.

"Ooh...that's such a nice name!" squealed a girl with dark skin and large eyes the shape of walnuts. Done with this comment, she turned back to her boyfriend. Lily couldn't quite remember his first name-he was in sixth year, but she was pretty sure his last name was Patty...no, Patil, that was it!

"Yes well..."

"Where'd you get him, is he a relative?" asked a girl with a heavy Irish accent.

"Oh! No, no, no!" Lily said. "It was rather odd, he just appeared!"

"Apparated, you mean?" frowned a blond-haired girl. "But you can't do that until your seventeen, they don't teach it until sixth year!"

"It wasn't like Apparition though, was it Lily?" said James. "He kinda just faded into your arms, and he was glowing red, wasn't he?"

Lily opened her mouth to say something, but just then the food was replaced with dessert. Harry bent down from Alice's arms and grabbed a handful of strawberry ice-cream. He squinted in Sirius's direction, and Lily felt her stomach drop. The small fist drew back, the ice-cream was flying...and with stunning precision, the pink glob met it's target on the back of Sirius's head. The boy seemed to sit still, as the pink slid down his neck and under the collar of his robes. Then with a yell, he jumped up, doing a weird sort of dance. Students turned from their food to watch the young Black jump and shout, his arms bending back in a futile attempt to get rid of the offending item, which was obviously crawling down his spine. With a _plop_ it splattered onto the stone floor, and Sirius gave the laughter-filled Hall a wave before taking his seat. He turned to the baby with a calculating look.

"What that for?" He asked.

"Now come on Black-" Lily tried to reason, but the baby cried over the top of her.

"Pafof no come Fwiday! Hawwy sad! Pafof wikes Swrawbwerrwy!"

Sirius's eyes widened, and suddenly he turned from the baby and began an angry, urgent looking conversation with the rest of his friends, hands waving dramatically. Lily ignored his and wiped little Harry's fingers on a napkin. "You shouldn't have done that," she told him sternly.

His eyes looked up at her, filled with tears. "Is mummy angwy at Hawwy?" he sniffed.

Her heart melted, despite the fact that despite his beliefs, he was not his 'mummy'. "Of course not..."

She busied herself with wiping his face as her friends sniggered. What did they know?

All too soon the feast had ended, the start of year announcements made (she was mostly interested in the update on You-Know-Who's actions, as you couldn't always trust the _Daily Prophet_). She made her way up to the front of of the Hall to where the Professors all stood eyeing her wearily- she had no doubt that they had been alerted of the situation. To her great chagrin, Potter and his cronies followed her.

"What's this, eh?" Professor Slughorn boomed, waddling over to peer at the frightened child in Lily's arms. He pried the child from her grip and held him up high. "Well, good evening!"

The baby looked down at the wide man, as if not entirely sure what to do with himself. "Ga-ga?"

"Sluggie's the name!" Slughorn said, lowering the boy.

"Swuggy?"

"Yes..." Slughorn looked around, and deposited the baby into the arms of the Professor next to him- a surprised looking Professor Kettleburn of Care of Magical Creatures. Lily was pleased to note that, with his experience with animals, he had a better idea of how to handle the small boy than her Potions Master. Dumbledore made his way over.

"What is the meaning of this?" Demanded the Ancient Runes Professor.

"Please," Dumbledore glanced a group of seventh-year Slytherins who were dawdling in a very obvious way that showed they were trying to eaves-drop. "Could we take this to my office?"

The rest of the teachers nodded their assent, and Lily trotted along with her superiors, flanked by the boys, all the way to the Head's office. The teacher crowded around Dumbledore's desk, leaving the teens standing awkwardly by the door. Dumbledore sat, clearing some papers away and nodded at Lily to come over. Kettleburn placed the boy on the table and Lily gave a quick explanation of the day's events.

"So who are his parents?" McGonagall asked.

"No idea," Dumbledore supplied.

McGonagall looked severely annoyed. "Well, how are we going to find out? Surely you're not suggesting we put an ad in the _Prophet!_"

"No..." Dumbledore said, amusement in his eyes. He pulled out his wand. "and since Veritaserum won't really work..." He trained it on the baby. Lily stiffened. Dumbledore training his wand on a baby was a scenario she would never have been able to understand. Her heart started to beat fast. And, seeing the other's faces, she was not the only one.

"Dumbledore glanced up. "It won't hurt him!"

Lily couldn't help a small shiver however. James smirked very slightly when her hand clutched his as the wand was raised.

"Legilimens!"

The baby and Headmaster sat, eyes locked on one another for a good ten minutes. Lily watched, scared, as the old man's face paled as time went by. When she felt she could take it no longer, he broke wand and eye contact with Harry, and gazed at the desk.

"Professor...?" whispered Sirius cautiously.

Dumbledore looked up, but his face was not set in a mask of grim decisiveness. "I know who his parents are, and..._where_ they are.He remembers watching them kiss."

Lily felt concerted by the stare the powerful wizard seemed to be giving her and James.

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**A/n: You should be very grateful I updated so quickly. I had a sicky today, which is why I managed this! Hope it's good enough!**

**Review, or I'll get Dumbledore to place his wand on you! (115 hits-4 reviews that's a ratio of 4:111...tut tut tut!)**


	3. The Start Of What Was

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 20th May, 5:49PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 3:The Start Of What Was**

_Children are a lovely thing, they smell and they pee,_

_They throw food, and they wail like a banshee._

_They create havoc, and easily confuse,_

_When caring for a babe, it is easy to amuse._

_Toddlers will shock you, they will excite,_

_But be sure of one thing: everything will be alright.

* * *

Lily had Huffed. Lily had puffed. Lily had snorted, stamped, glared, blushed, pleaded, was polite and reasoned._

Look where it got her.

"Purple Pog," she grumbled at the fat lady, who nodded and swung open.

Crawling through the portrait hole with a baby in your arms is not easy. Especially when you can feel the breath of James Potter on your backside. "Will you move back!" she shouted, as she tumbled into the common room. That was how she found the whole of Gryffindor gawping at her. Harry tweaked her nose.

"Mummy wikes daddy! Hawwy want bed. Daddy and mummy kissy Hawwy!" He chuckled.

Lily held his hands as she walked, purple-faced, to the bottom step that lead to the girl's dorm.

"Hey, Lils!"

Lily turned, her eyes narrowed at Potter. "Yes?" She ground out through gritted teeth. The black-haired boy suddenly seemed shy and nervous.

"Um...I'd just...I mean, I think..."

"Get on with it, he need's a diaper change!" Lily growled, holding the smelly baby away from her person.

"I'm sorry!" James blurted out. Lily's head tilted in a '_yeah right' _way. "Really I am! I didn't know it was going to end up...like _this_!" James poked the baby, which howled.

"Yeah, well-it did!" Lily cried, frustration evident on her face.

"Look..." James began, running his hand through his hair. Lily's nose wrinkled, and his hand fell limp to his side, and James blushed. "Why don't we work this out. I'm sure Dumbledore will find his parents soon enough, and then it'll all be over. Plus, it is our responsibility. So can we please just work together-for Harry's sake?"

The guilt card worked nicely. Lily sighed. "Okay, we'll take it in turns. I'll have him tonight, you tomorrow, me the next day and et cetera."

"Thanks, you're a gem Lily." James said, smiling and walking away confidently, with a small swagger due to the fact that he had talked to Lily.

As Lily walked up the stairs, she said to the baby "You stink!"

"Hawwy want daddy kissy!" the baby cried. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Daddy's not here, silly!" Harry glared at her.

"Is twoo."

"Is not."

"Is twoo."

"Hey Lily!" Lily turned, ready to storm at the person to see her friend, Alice, holding a bag. "McGonagall gave me this-told me you would need it."

Lily took the bag, half grateful, half apprehensive. She opened it to see...diapers, baby clothes, bottles, toys and wonder of all wonders, a foldable cot.

"Thankyou, _so_ much!" she gasped, and the pair walked into their dorms.

"So...you're keeping him!" Alice teased. Lily looked to the heavens, mouthed something and looked back at her friend.

"Until his family is located, yes," Lily informed her friend as she assembled the cot. "I wonder where McGonagall got this stuff?"

The girls giggled at the mental images...that is, until the stench of baby poo became too overwhelming. Lily approached Harry, who sat on his back on her bed, diaper in her hand. Alice solemnly laid a towel on the bed, and the baby was transferred onto it. Lily pulled up her sleeves. She took a deep breath. Lily pulled down his little pants. The diaper was swollen, and the smell strengthened.

The diaper came off.

"EURGHHHH!"

"GROSS!"

"DISGUSTING!"

"GEB IB AWAY!" Alice cried as she held her nose.

Lily put a hand to the side. "Wipes, please."

The wipes were placed in her hand. "Wipes."

The baby's bottom was wiped.

"Powder please."

"Powder." The girls were enveloped in a cloud of white baby powder. Choking, Alice performed a wind charm to get rid of it all.

"Clean Diaper, please!"

"Clean diaper."

Lily spent the next ten minutes struggling with the magical diaper ("Honestly, you'd think wizards would learn a thing or two from muggles!") which did not have sticky things, but needed a sticking charm to be fitted on properly. Once done, she patted the boy on the bottom, turning to the baby. "Oohhh..." She said, eyeing the little suits. "I love playing dress ups!"

Alice looked at her friend as if worrying for the red-head's sanity, but upon seeing the little clothes, oohed and ahhed as well. Giggling, they chose a small blue pyjama suit for little Harry. All through this, Harry sat on the bed, not wondering but sure of his 'Mummy's' insanity. His eyes were thin, as were his lips. His mind was just at the point where it was capable of wondering what had ever had happened to his mother who always worried. Not that he didn't enjoy this new Mummy, but she was a bit immature-honestly, Mummys were supposed to be able to understand baby speak, not giggle!

Well, since his mother had forgotten Harry speak, he would have to speak very simply. As she tried to put the ridiculous suit on him (Duckies really weren't 'him') he stamped, whined and wailed. "No Mummy!"

Lily was pretty annoyed by the time she had finished doing up the buttons. Harry rolled about on the bed like a wet dog, until she picked him up and took him over to the white cot.

He little hand held onto the front of her robes, his head buried in her shoulder. He glanced at the cot, and buried his head back, trembling. Lily looked at the child. "Are you ok?"

"Bad man hurt mummy! Hawwy sqwared!"

Lily jigged the baby. "Shhh...no bad man going to get you..."

"Bad man fink hurting funny..."sniffled Harry. Lily frowned. She could think of one such man.

"Mummy...is daddy weally wite? Bad man not gonna hurt Daddy? Daddy was being silly...daddy didn't kissy Hawwy!"

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok...shhhhh...daddy is out there, and we're going to find him, and your mummy too..."

"But you is Hawwy mummy!"

Lily placed Harry in his cot. Could it be that-that his parents had been killed? She turned to her bed. "Mummy kissy!"

Lily paused. She turned, then turned back. She turned back to the cot again. Harry sat, clutching the bars gazing at her plainitively. Wondering what on earth had gotten into her, she bent down and kissed his tiny forehead. "Sweet dreams, Harry."

Harry smiled, lying back. His eyes closed and thumb stuck into his mouth. Lily hopped into bed feeling, for some reason she could not place, extremely pleased.Although, she vowed herslef, if she ever had children, she would put a permentant odourless charm on it.

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Lily sprung out of bed, heart racing. The cries continued, and as she squinted through the dark, she remembered the events of yesterday. With a quick glance at her clock-2 am, she put her feet into her fluffy slippers and crossed the room to the cot. The girls in her dorm were emerging form their slumber, complaining. Lily cautiously approached the cot, where the small body was writhing.

It seemed that the baby was having a nightmare, because he definitely wasn't awake. He was pressing his head into the mattress, wailing his heart out. With a final scream he slumped over and started to whimper. Instinct took over, and Lily pulled him into her arms, where he sniffled and murmured into her chest. She had noticed that the cut on his forehead was bright, and placing a hand on his forehead to see if he had a temperature proved it to be burning white hot. She rocked him until he was dreaming.

"Da bad man..."Harry muttered before his breathing evened out. Lily rocked him, her now awake mind wandering.

* * *

Harry, luckily, did not wake up again that night. Yet Lily, along with the rest of the seventh year girls, were all exhausted when they awoke, and jokingly asked Lily if she planned to put a silencing charm on Harry in future as they pulled on their robes and fussed their hair. Lily picked up the baby, along with his carrier and bag of supplies and walked downstairs, eager to give him to James. It had not crossed her mind-yet- of how responsible he would be with a year-old child. She seated herself on an armchair, resigned to the fact that boys will be boys and always wake up late. Head boy or not.

So she was quite- not in the pleasant sense- surprised when two, large, masculine hands covered her eyes and a voice that unmistakably belonged to Potter said "Guess who!"

"Potter?" she said tiredly, pulling his hands away from her face. She turned, and stuffed the baby and its accessories into his arms. "Here."

Potter looked stunned as the girl of his dreams walked away, a baby in his arms. He couldn't help but notice a slight sway in her hips as she disappeared through the portrait hole. "Damn."

"You got it bad mate." Sirius said, appearing at his shoulder. James nodded dumbly. He hitched the baby in his arms, and Sirius, an understanding look on his face, shrunk the bag so it would fit into James's pocket. "Take this," he said, handing it over. James pocketed it without looking, eyes still on the portrait hole. "come on James."

The boys made their way down to the Great Hall, slumping in their seats and serving themselves crumpets with honey. It was only with when Remus appeared, and reminded him, that James thought to feed Harry. Harry refused the crumpet he was offered, and took matters into his own hands by sticking his fingers into the honey pot and doing an impression of Winnie the Pooh, sucking on his fist with an elated expression. Remus shook his head, resolving to teach James proper child nutrition: later.

Barely any time had passed when McGonagall was passing out timetables and the four boys who named themselves the Marauders were all pleased to find they had a free period next. Making up their mind, they decided to go up to Gryffindor tower to plan some pranks to use in future.

James could not understand why he did not feel the same enthusiasm as he usually did.

"Right, get comfortable boys!" Sirius announced as they positioned themselves around the dorm- Sirius and James on their bed, Peter leaning against the wall and Remus at the lonely desk with a quill and piece of parchment spread out in front of him. James let the boy leave his arms and crawl about the mess still on his bed.

"So...what's this week?" Sirius asked.

"Something tame I reckon...lull them into a false sense of security, but if we do nothing, they'll think something's up, so something simple," Peter said, looking thoughtful.

The other three nodded in agreement and Remus' quill started scratching. All too soon the boys were talking in loud voices, arguing and suggesting for the coming weeks. It was because of this that James lost track of what Harry was doing. Twenty minutes until the bell, Remus glanced over at James, and his jaw opened. "Uh...where'd the baby go?"

James, still tossing a Quaffle with Sirius answered "he's on the bed somewhere."

"No he's not!"

James glanced down, and the Quaffle hit him on the head. Rubbing his temple he exclaimed "Yeah...WHERE IS HE?"

A frantic search ensued. It was not much later that James found his wand missing...as did Sirius...and Peter. Remus, relieved to find his own wand still encased in his pocket, looked around thoughtfully and cried "Accio Harry!"

Nothing happened. "Accio Baby!"

"Accio Peter Pettigrew's wand!" A wand appeared out from under Peter's bed and zoomed towards Remus. James and Sirius smirked. "Accio Sirius Black's wand!"

Another wand came out from Peter's bed, and a tiny giggle followed it. Remus glanced at his friends and bent down, looking under it. Straightening up he said "weird, he's not there...but I swear I heard..."

Red sparks came out from under the bed. With a cry, Remus jumped back. "_Something's under there!" _he hissed.

"Well, duh." Sirius said, retrieving his wand. "Can baby's make themselves invisible?"

James hit himself on the head. "The cloak! He took the cloak!" He got down on his knees and crawled under the bed, fumbling around for an invisible baby. He could hear giggles and shrieks, but he had no luck. Sirius stood behind James, snorting at the feet which twisted and turned as James's cussing blared out from under the bed.

Remus sat at his desk, shaking his head. His pant leg fluttered in a breeze coming form the closed window.

It was then, realising the window was closed, that he realised it could not be a breeze. Plus, breezes don't pull your pants down. Clutching the waist band of his pants, he gazed at the spot at his feet. Reaching carefully down, he found the material and pulled the cloak off Harry. Harry giggled, his little hand on his mouth as he gazed up at Remus.

"I found him!" Remus gasped. James poked a cob-web covered head out from under the bed, and when he saw the subject of his searching, scrambled out and picked the boy up.

"Don't _do _that!" He said, as he positioned his hands under the little boy's bottom.

"Dadda look silly!" Harry gurgled, pulling the older boy's glasses off. He carefully positioned them on his own tiny button nose, and turned to face the other boys, grinning lopsidedly.

They burst into laughter. James scowled as he took his glasses back, and put them back on.

"So..." he said as he tried to regain his composure. "Get the map out, we'll see if we can get Snape before Potions."

James's hand, the one under Harry's bottom, suddenly grew very warm. A smell so horrible met his nose. "Oh, Sweet Merlin!" he gasped, pinching his nose. "What s- - t is THAT!"

Remus looked up from the mess of James's trunk, which he was searching through for the map, and smiled. "That James, is baby s- - t, as you so eloquently put it."

James's face turned into a mask of horror. "Does this mean I have to...?"

"Welcome to the joys of motherhood!" Chuckled Sirius as he clapped his hand on James's shell-shocked back.

James fumbled around, laying the baby on the bed and looked helplessly at the bag. "Help!" he whimpered.

"Youb is on your own dere!" Sirius said as he walked past, holding his nose.

James undid the diaper and threw it into the furthest corner, shooting a "Reducto" at it as it flew. The ashes settled on the edge of the carpet. They were soon joined by the ashes of the baby wipes. He then upturned half the bottle of baby powder all over the baby, most of which rebounded and covered his glasses and hair. Wiping his glasses he selected a new diaper and spent ten minutes putting it on backwards.

Remus had found the map by now, and tapping it he declared "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

He spread it out, and headed towards the desk to get his pranking notes. Sirius glanced at the map, eyes scanning. His eyes found their dorm automatically, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

"James, come 'ere!" Sirius said worriedly.

"What?" James called, battling with Harry to change his diaper.

Remus walked over to Sirius, parchment in hand. "JAMES!" Remus cried, after glancing at the map.

James ran over, holding the naked baby by the legs. "What?"

"Uh...put the baby down." Remus said. Harry was hanging upside down, his round face turning purple.

James dumped the baby on his bed like an unwanted toy.. Harry rolled up the right way and crawled over to the map. James glanced at the map, and went pale. Then he started to laugh. "HAHA, Very funny Sirius!" he cried.

"James..."Sirius said slowly. "I didn't do this. We charmed it not to lie, and that's irreversible."

James's laughter died away. Harry poked at his name on the map. _Harry Potter._

"So...that's true?"

"Yep." Sirius affirmed.

James grabbed a parchment and quill. "I really need to get in contact with my parent more often. Them having a baby without telling me!" he said, as he started to scribble. His two friends exchanged a despairing look.

"James...aren't your parents err…a bit _old _to have more children?" Remus asked.

"They're only fifty, Remus!"

"And you are a seventeen year old, hormonal teen who's had five girlfriends over the past few years!" butted in Peter, a tiny trace of jealously in his voice.

"He's looks like a professor at the moment though," Remus said, gesturing to James's white hair and glasses which had slipped to the end of his nose.

James looked sharply at his friends. "Excuse me, I haven't knocked up any girl!"

"Yet." Sirius whispered under his breath.

* * *

**A/n: Yep, it's offical, I'm on a roll: three chapters in three days! I know way much happens in this chapter (ok, not really) but :D.**

**Just to make it clear: Dumbledore knows who Hawwy is, but doesn't want anybody to know. So James made some stupid comment which ended up with him and Lily having to take care of Hawwy. The bad man is Voldemort. Any other questions and I shall answer.**


	4. Never Have Children

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 29th April , 8:39PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 4: Never Have Children**

_One piece of advice, that no-one ever listens too_

_Is to never have children, you don't what they'll do._

_In these dark times, we don't have time enough,_

_To let the next generation loose, the world is too tough._

_But Mysteries arising, from unfortunate things;_

_Be wary my friends, of what the future brings.

* * *

_

It had only taken the ring of the bell to convince James to leave the desk- with a grumble he shouldered his bag and scooped up Harry in his spare arm. As he ducked into a secret passageway that would lead his right outside the Transfiguration classroom, he spared himself a moment to think.

It was probably some fluke. There were heaps of Potters, his family couldn't be the only one.

A niggling doubt remained though- James had only one aunt on his father's side, who had married a Muggle-born. The boy, Harry, could not possibly be related to him. Remus was right- James's parents would not be having anymore children.

James knew it was impossible for a child to be born without certain things happening...and since he himself was as virginal as baby Harry probably was (to stop his thoughts wandering down that path any further, he started shaking his head like an enraged bull, receiving looks from his friends) it was impossible that _he _was the father.

It was most definitely a fluke. Or a joke.

He wanted to meet the mastermind behind it.

He shuffled into the classroom, eyes still glazed and sat. Harry sat peacefully in his arms.

It was when the looming shadow of the professor that he was dragged from his thoughts.

With a jump of surprise, he found the whole class was sniggering-at him. Looking around, checking his glasses were on properly, he found nothing out of place.

"Ahem."

James twisted around, to find himself looking into Lily Evan's eyes. Harry giggled.

James had not realised, in his daydream, that the tables had moved around since last year. He had sat down where his legs told him he should sit. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you looked at it his way), he had sit in the Head girl's unsuspecting lap. She glared at him.

James jumped, apologising profusely and wondering why he always acted so stupid around her. He slipped meekly into his seat beside Sirius-who happened to have his head under the table in an effort to stem his laughter. Strangely, everyone was still snickering, looking at him and talking behind their hands.

"Puffy!" Harry laughed, clapping his small hands together.

"You're hair's white," Remus whispered into James hair. James looked at Remus, with a 'tell me your joking' look.

Feeling most foolish, James got out his wand and pointed it at his head. The white powder disappeared, and with a piercing look from professor McGonagall, the class settled down.

While James turned Peter into a rat (Peter was actually using his Animagus abilities, but it was not as if McGonagall knew any better) he formulated a slightly different scenario of the beginning of the lesson- for one, Lily was on _his _lap, as they relaxed on a patio. They both had white hair, and wedding rings worn out form years of wear on their fingers. Babies, lots of them surrounded the couple.

James smiled goofily.

"Mr Potter, could you please restrain your charge!"

James glanced around. "Pardon?"

"POTTER!"

James found McGonagall, standing at the front of the class. And there, hugging her legs together so tight she was about to fall over, was Harry. "Kitty!" Harry told James gravely. "Bad kitty."

James tried very hard to not crack a smile, honest.

And that's what he told his stern-looking Transfiguration professor at the end of the period.

He had used all his effort not to laugh, he really did.

He continued to explain.

He didn't think it was funny, not at all, he swore on his son's grave.

McGonagall gave him a night's detention.

* * *

James growled and went on a monologue about the cruelty of yesteryear's generation all the way to potions. "I mean, I think she actually _enjoys _giving me detention, I swear!" James gasped as he pulled out his _Advanced Potion Making _and setting it on the desk with a snap. Sirius and Remus nervously sat down, feigning interest as Professor Slughorn waddled into view. James took the opportunity to glare at everyone in the room bar Lily. Yes, that girl over there had probably done him some wrong, as had Frank Longbottom (neither had been anything but kind to him, but in his foul mood, James did not take this in) and as his eyes settled on a greasy haired boy in the corner, scribbling furiously in his potions book, James felt his stomach flip with dislike. Severus, commonly known as 'Snivellus' Snape.

"Oho, alright!" Slughorn boomed. James tore himself away from trying to kill Snape with a mental laser beam to listen to the instructions. Baby Harry sat quietly, eyeing the Potions master with a wary sense, most likely because last time they had met, he had been held up a good six feet form the floor by the man.

James propped Harry on the desk and pulled out his ingredients, turning to page 312.

_Woman's Root Brew, also known as The Contraceptive Potion._

James nudged Sirius and they exchanged a rowdy grin, quickly kindling their fires and making sure the water was set to boil.

"Now, as this Potion actually originated from the Americas, there are some ingredients you will not have, so they will be left out here for your use!" Slughorn warned the class, waving a podgy hand at a bunch of dried, wrinkly, shrivelled or hairy ingredients. With a glance at the list, James made his way up to the front of the class.

He left Harry behind.

"One of them...and three of these...maybe a bit more..." James quickly calculated how much he needed as he grabbed the items. Someone jabbed him hard in the shoulder as they bent to get a root, and James sneered at the back of Snape's head. "Hello, slime ball, surely you've tried one of those hair cleaning potions by now, since you love them so much!" He sneered.

"I haven't the time, blood traitor!" Snape hissed through his teeth, taking a pinch of evaporated milk.

"Hark who's taking...you're not even pure-blooded!" James said, lowering his voice as not to be heard by a nearby Lily. He noticed Snape's fingers twitching toward his pocket, where James knew his wand was burning to be used. With a smirk James turned and returned to his table. It was a sign of self-confidence that he let his back be turned on the steaming Slytherin.

But what he saw when his eyes latched onto his table was hardly more pleasant than what he'd left behind.

Little Harry, delight in his eyes, had decided to take his hand to Potion making.

James thought, much later, that it was probably a lucky thing too. The boy could have played with the fire.

Nevertheless, James was not pleased to see the pink liquid burbling away in his cauldron. Heart pounding (with anger or fear he was not certain) he removed Harry from the desk and put him under the table, out of harm's way. He sank into his seat, wondering what to do. It was too far into the class to start again: he would fail. Continue with what he had: he would fail. It was a lose-lose situation.

And it was getting worse. James could hear Slughorn's momentous footsteps coming his way to survey his progress. He prepared for a scolding as the large man paused, peering over his shoulder.

"Oho. _OHO!" _Slughorn exclaimed.

James cringed.

"My dear boy, may I have a word?" Slughorn questioned, his voice growing soft and serious. James nodded, still staring at his hands. He could feel the man's hot breath on his neck. He felt miserable.

"Have you made this before?" Said the professor's voice.

"N-no, sir. Never seen it before sir," James stammered (although it was not entirely true, it was in effect, honest for the most part).

"Well, my, my, my!"

James dared to look up. He almost fell out of his chair in shock. Slughorn was glowing down at him, a look a young child gives a cookie jar just after they've been told they can eat the whole lot shining in his eyes.

"Gather around, boys and girls, Mr Potter's Potion….well, see for yourselves!" Slughorn said, beckoning the rest of the class over. Sirius and Remus stared flabbergasted at James. They had been watching his despairing last few moments and now…

Snape sniffed the potion. "Doesn't smell right," he grumbled.

"Now, now Mr Snape, don't be too harsh!" Slughorn said, clapping James merrily on the back- nearly sending the thin boy head first into his cauldron.

Slughorn declared it was time for people to cork and bring a sample of their potion for testing to him, and to pack away. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, James deposited the phial on the desk and packed his cauldron away. His grin faded when Lily pushed past him out the door.

"How _did _you do that?" Sirius asked for the up tenth time as they sat down for lunch. Peter parked himself across from the two dark haired young men and glanced at them briefly. "Got that baby off your back did you, eh Prongs?" he commented cheerfully, tucking into his ham and cheese pie.

James's head lifted, and his stared dumbfounded at the porky boy.

Ten seconds later he was running to the oak doors, screaming "Shit, HARRY!"

"I guess not?" Peter said amiably, seemingly unaware of the panic he'd caused.

* * *

_**Prongs: Never having children…ever.**_

Sirius peeked at the note James had passed him.

**Padfoot: But that means no s-e - **

**Moony: Don't write that word, Sirius!**

**Padfoot: -x. Calm down Moony.**

_**Prongs: I am calm!**_

**Padfoot: Is your name Moony?**

_**Prongs: No.**_

**Padfoot: Hangman?**

_**Prongs: Only if I get to go first.**_

Remus heaved a sigh as his friends played hangman during History of Magic. He honestly didn't know why they had done the subject, except it was one of the few Peter had scraped a pass in. Friends stick together.

Little Harry had become his object of care for the period after a foolish suggestion that he help James. As much as the little boy didn't bother him, he still wouldn't be extending the favour again. He prayed he would remember to untie his shoelaces before he endeavoured to stand up. Harry had made sure they were fixed together pretty tight, and Remus didn't want to fall over.

"And as you know, Morgan Le Fay was a blurhhhhhh…….." Remus's ears had switched off.

He bent down and picked up the boy. The boy looked up at him.

"Hawwy wikes Moomy."

"Yes, we'll find you're mummy soon." Remus smiled kindly.

"Hawwy wants play wif Moomy." Remus suppressed a chuckle.

"Let's see, judging on how you say mummy, I'm guessing you're from the north, am I right?" Remus asked.

"Moomy goes AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The little boy imitated a wolf poorly.

Remus smacked a hand over the child's mouth, but the damage was done. The class turned to the pair (except James and Sirius, so ingrossed in their game of hangman they were) and locked their eyes on the howling black haired baby. Professor Binns continued to drone, totally oblivious to the class' change of occupation.

"An den he go GRRRRRRRRRRR and-" Harry bit down hard on Remus's hand. Remus yelped, shaking his hand, but Harry was latched on tight, his five little teeth sinking in deep. James and Sirius looked up as Remus jumped around, the toddler's body flying.

"AWWWW SHIT...AKE MUSHROOMS! OOWW OWW EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Binns finally glanced up form his notes. James, bounding to the rescue grabbed the toddler around the round waist and tugged hard. Harry let go. Remus fell to the ground as his shoelaces remembered that they were tied together, a small circle of dust rising around him. Remus frantically fixed them and stood.

He picked up his belongings and stormed away, slumping next to a pimple-faced girl. James returned timidly to his seat.

"No, Morgan Le Fay did not eat Shitake Mushrooms, I think you are confusing her with Mei Lee Fay, the Chinese healer of the third century who…"

Remus tuned out the rest of the speech as he nursed his hand. He would have the scars of the teeth marks for a long time to come.

* * *

"_He bit you? Like, teeth and everything?"_

_"Oh, sweet Merlin, did it hurt?"_

_"Do you need ice?"_

_"And you just gently took the sweetie away?"_

_"And he was pretending to be a werewolf, did you hear?"_

_"Maybe he is...you never know. I mean, Who-Know-Wo's getting stronger, and kids are getting younger and younger."_

_"His parents probably sent him away, the poor darl."_

_"I can't imagine, being abandoned at such a young age. You're so kind and noble to be caring for him."_

_"Isn't he just adorable?"_

Remus sighed as he turned the page. The girls walked away, a few winking over their shoulder. Remus wasn't really one for all the attention.

Harry was in the hospitable wing, being checked for any signs he might be a werewolf. Remus knew the boy wasn't. He could smell it.

James scrutinized the map morosely, his eyes locked on the spot where _Harry Potter_ sat, being prodded by Madam Pomfrey. A young student hanging around in the wingwas sent from the hospitable wing, making their way to the Library. James stood up, tucking the map in his pocket.

"Gotta pick up the mini wolf," he joked as he shouldered his bag.

Ten minutes later, a little girl was asking around for James Potter. "No, not here, left a few minutes ago," Peter told her, and she skipped away.

James pushed the doors to the wing open, and entered the sterile ward. Harry sat on a bed, looking bored. The matron bustled over. "He's fine, not a werewolf, thank goodness."

"Had a feeling he might not be," James quipped.

"Nevertheless, could you take this note to the Headmaster?" She asked, pressing an envelope into James's hand. James picked up Harry and walked out.

The matron gazed after them. For a second she would have sworn the little boy was the splitting image of the older one when he was the same age.

James walked around the corridors and soon found the Head's office. Being a head boy had its perks: he didn't have to guess the password. With a "Pecan Nougat" he was on his way. He knocked on the door, and heard only two words in return.

"Please enter."

With a deep breath, he turned the handle.

* * *

**A/N: I love this story: offically. It's so fun to write! Anyway, I have a poll. Would you like this to be an AU story where somehow Harry grows up and the world is changed from canon, or proper time travel fic or...I could be evil and stop it when it gets exciting. Your choice! Please review. I'm also running out of ideas for the havoc Harry could create...so any plans, or things you really wanna see? Tell me!**


	5. Mental Constipation

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 29th April , 8:39PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 5: Mental Constipation**

_Bad, unhealthy food leads to complications,_

_My mother always says: vomit,diarrhoea and constipations._

_Food for thought, now that's a different matter,_

_It can make you smart-or mad as a hatter._

_So question little, make sure you find out less_

_And forget important details when you confess.

* * *

_

The Headmaster, in James's opinion, was a brilliant man. Crazy, odd, yet brilliant. He held the old man in the highest esteem.

It was this said man that looked up from the paperwork on his large desk. On a perch, a phoenix sat watching the scene. Upon seeing baby Harry, he crooned softly.

"What do I owe you this pleasure, Mr Potter?" Dumbledore asked.

James held out the note, and Dumbledore took it. "Madam Pomfrey asked me to give you this."

If this surprised Dumbledore, he gave no show of it. "Take a seat."

Dumbledore opened it up, and he adjusted his half-moon glasses. Then he lowered his gaze to the parchment. James was sure the headmaster was double-no, triple reading it, because twenty minutes later his eyes were still fixed on the paper. James gave a small cough. Dumbledore looked up.

"Oh...sorry Mr Potter. Quite interesting, this." Dumbledore lifted the page in gesture.

James, not knowing the contents, just sat there.

Dumbledore rested the letter on his desk, and inspected James. James could not meet his eyes for some reason and instead played with the short black locks of hair on Harry's head. It was like a very soft version of his own.

"James, may I ask you some questions?" Dumbledore asked.

"It seems so, as you already have," James said, still looking at Harry. Harry did not seem to have the same troubles as James-he was looking directly at the great wizard.

There was a pause, then Dumbledore asked. "How are you doing, caring for young Harry?"

"Alright, I suppose...no, actually I'm not doing very well," James admitted. "I have no idea what I'm doing- I almost lost him in potions, and he attacked Professor McGonagall this morning, and well...I'm sure you heard of the werewolf fiasco."

"James, that wasn't my question. _How are _**you** _doing, caring for young Harry? "_

James sat and thought. "I'm ok. Apart form being hopeless at it, it's been fun. He's like a little brother or something. You just want to protect him."

James summed up the courage to look up into the eyes appraising him. There was an almost knowing look in their depths. "Yes. Sadly I have a feeling he was not protected when he needed it, hence his arrival on the train." Dumbledore concluded.

"Have you found his parents?" James blurted.

"James...I have."

James looked around, as if expecting the unknown couple to step out from the corners of the room. "Where are they?"

"I assure you I am keeping a very close eye on them, to make sure they come to no harm."

"Yeah, but- but why don't you give Harry back to them ,surely they're worried sick!" James trailed off, noticing the sad look in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Mr Potter, I don't think that Harry parents know he is their son." Dumbledore's eyes looked slightly far away, then refocused on the boy in front of him.

"_WHAT! _How could they have had a child without realising, I mean, it'd be a bit hard no to notice!" James cried, not realising he had stood in his anger. Harry slipped from his lap gracefully onto the floor. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to follow the fifteen-month year-old's progress through the wood of his table. Blushing, James retrieved Harry and sat. Taking care to catch his breath, he rephrased his outburst. "Sorry sir. However, I don't honestly think that is possible."

Dumbledore sat, his fingers steeped as he inspected the head boy. The silence stretched.

"James," Dumbledore began. "I think it is appropriate for you to know what I saw when I- against my better judgement- sifted through our young ward's memories."

James found himself sitting very far forward on his chair.

"It was rather hard, as Harry is a child, and his memory is not as good as yours or mine," Dumbledore said. "But I think the memory I managed to come across, the one that revealed his parent's identity also answers the question of how-and why he came to be here. A good hypothesis, I feel, as if it were his last memory before ending up in the arms of our head girl, it would be the easiest for him to remember."

James shifted back, when he noticed he wasn't actually on his chair anymore, sitting on thin air in his eagerness.

Dumbledore looked James full on. "Harry's memory started off black- I almost dismissed it. But then, I heard voices. '_He's here! it's Him! Take Harry and RUN! I'll try to hold Him off!' " _

James sat frozen in his chair, shock plastered over his white face. Dumbledore had not finished his recital, not yet though.

"Harry seemed to wake up at this moment, as suddenly a woman came into view and kissed the man on whose lap Harry happened to sitting on. The woman took him and ran into his bedroom, judging by the cot. i unmistakably heard the thump of a body."

James thought he might combust with anticipation.

"And then, someone entered the room. It was to my shock that I saw, through Harry's eyes, the face of Voldemort." James suppressed a shudder. "It surprised me even more when Harry's mother and Voldemort spoke to each other_…'Step aside girl, I've been here long enough'…'No! Leave him alone, what has he ever done to you, he's only a baby!'…'Step aside, and I'll let you live'…'No, just go!'…'Step aside you foolish child!'…'Why won't you just leave him, he's only a child, defenceless, he'd never harm you!'…'You don't have to be so silly about this-'…'I'm not letting you have him!' "_

"She got some nerve, that one," James joked weakly. Dumbledore looked stern.

"Harry's mother was killed."

James felt awful. How could he have been so unfeeling? Then James looked at the kid in his lap. The poor thing was an orphan, James realised. He frowned...Dumbledore had said he was watching over Harry's parents though-it didn't add up...

"Sir, I don't understand. I thought this memory makes it clear Harry's an orphan...yet you said you're watching his parent's actions. How is that possible?"

Dumbledore had that knowing glint in his eyes again. "Well done, Mr Potter, I was wondering when you were going to ask that."

James just sat in his cushioned chair, waiting for Dumbledore to elaborate. Soon he realised Dumbledore was not going to...not without prompting. "Um...so..."

"Ah...you want to know?"

_Well duh._

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Not today, perhaps at a later date. Nougat?" Dumbledore extended some of the white, sticky sweet and James realised himself to be dismissed. He stood, politely refused (Harry snatched a piece nevertheless) and walked out, hoping to contain his anger. He couldn't justify the boiling temper at the moment, but for some reason, he _really_ wanted to know.

He stormed all the way down to the Great Hall and slipped into his seat, reaching bursting point.

"Hey, James!" Remus said, ladling him some orange concoction. James sniffed curiously.

"It's curry, seems the house-elves are angry about something," Remus explained. "Though this bread tastes real good-try some." And with that, a piece of bread was stuffed into James's hand. The black haired boy absently handed it to Harry, who rolled the rest of his nougat in the bread and munched contently, eyes closing in bliss. James stuck his fork into the food and took a bite.

Suddenly his mouth was ten times hotter than his anger. He spluttered, reaching for his goblet, choking. Ten minutes later Sirius and Peter arrived. "Are you crying mate?" Sirius asked after glancing and doing a double-take.

James shook his head and put his hand up, his eyes still streaming. Remus watched the events, eating bread. He had only rice on his plate. Seems he sort of blamed James for the biting incident.

Sirius shrugged and took a bite of the curry. His face grew red. It was when it had turned purple that he snatched the water jug from James's grasp and started gulping frantically. The boys started fighting over the water, which was soon gone. They started pouncing on other students-Sirius being so desperate as to steal a pitcher from the Ravenclaw table. Peter eyed his friends confusedly as he shovelled the red meat, vegetables and sauce into his mouth. He had no scruples with the spices.

James and his best friend panted until the deserts appeared. James tucked into his treacle tart with relief.

Sirius took the bowl of sugar cubes provided for those who liked tea and started sucking.

James soon left, his detention on his mind. His feet took him the well worn path to McGonagall's office. He stood outside the door a few moments, debating with himself whether to go in-or skive off. He knocked.

His head peered around the doorway and his grip around Harry's waist tightened. McGonagall raised her eyes from the homework she was marking and flicked her eyes towards the seat infront of her desk. _Sit down._

James slipped in, quiet and sat.

McGonagall continued to mark, ignoring him. James wondered if she was doing it on purpose. His mind wandered further.

_"He's here! it's Him!"_

McGonagall scratched out a sentence. She lowered her quill.

"_Take Harry and RUN!"_

"Now, Mr Potter..." McGonagall began, her eyes glinting as they rested on the student in front of her. She spared a glance at Harry, then her eyes went back to James.

"_I'll try to hold Him off!"_

"You may think that my reasons for giving you a detention were a bit...off."

"_Leave him alone, what has he ever done to you, he's only a baby!"_

"And you're right. I never planned to give you detention Mr Potter." McGonagall leaned forward over her desk. "Ginger newt?" James numbly took one.

"_Step aside, and I'll let you live. Step aside, foolish girl!"_

_"No, I won't let you! He's only a child...he'd never hurt you!"_

_"ENOUGH! Avada Kedavra!"_

"MR POTTER, ARE YOU LISTENING!"

James jerked from his reverie. "Sorry...thinking...sorry..." He muttered.

McGonagall paused, as if to check he was really listening. "The reason I have called you to my office this evening is give you an offer."

James searched the face of his teacher, as if trying to find traces of a joke. All he saw was honesty, sadness and pride.

"Mr Potter, what are your views on You-Know-Who's actions over the past years?" She questioned delicately.

James hated Voldemort, long before today. But the boiling hate he felt after learning of Harry's situation would have turned almost anyone. "I hate him, and want him gone. He's horrible. That's why I want to be an Auror or part of the Law Enforcement Squad. I want to fight him, and be one of the people who makes sure he's gone." James spat venomously.

McGonagall put a hand in her lap. "Good. Mr Potter...have you heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

James had. He had heard his father talking to his mother in hushed whispers one night-he had been eavesdropping. All he got from it was that the Order of the Phoenix was a secret organisation aimed at fighting Voldemort. "Yes, but not much."

"I didn't think so. Mr Potter, the Order of the Phoenix was founded during the summer holiday prior to your second year by Albus Dumbledore. It is a society of select witches and wizards with a common goal: to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Me and Albus have been talking, and were wondering if you would like to join, when you leave school."

Slap James with a fish and he couldn't care less. Although he was doing a good impression of a fish: mouth open wide, eyes popping. "What about...my friends?" He croaked at last.

McGonagall gave a rare smile. "They are some our other candidates, but I prefer to do this individually. But, as I said, would you like to join?"

James's mouth started to form the words before he even thought about it. "Yes, miss."

McGonagall nodded to herself as if she had been expecting that answer. She passed the ginger newt tin and he gratefully took another. Her face turned even more serious. "There is another matter," she said slowly.

Harry started to breathe softly-he had fallen asleep.

"Mr Potter, as I am sure you well know, you are one of, if not the best Transfiguration students in this school. My offer, something I have thought over a great deal, is to teach you to become an Animagus."

Mental Note for James Potter: Leave the country.

"Uh...I...well, so very kind of you..." James stuttered, thinking desperately of a way to get out of it. "I really...waste your time...I couldn't...I'm sure I could...on my own...not necessary."

"Of course I'm not asking you to decide today," McGonagall jumped in, "but something to think about, eh?"

"Well, yes..." James said weakly. How could he get out of this? He didn't think "Sorry, miss, but I learnt to become one illegally with my friends three years ago," would go down to well.

McGonagall gave him a rare smile. "You can go, I'm sure Flitwick won't be so forgiving if you forget another essay, especially one as important as the _Constipere_ charm." She waved her hand and James left.

It was only as he slipped behind a tapestry that would take him up two levels towards Gryffindor Tower that McGonagall had been talking about the Constipere charm-in other words, the constipation charm. He laughed.

So it was to his great disbelief when he opened up his homework diary (his mother, got it?) that he found she was not joking.

"Shit."

Sirius looked up from where he was struggling to write the afore mentioned essay. "Yep, that 'bout sums it up."

James groaned.

* * *

**A/N: The poll people, the POLL! Review... Or I'll get Voldemort to come after you (him and I are on first name terms), muhahahaha! It might get a bit sadder in the next chapter, but I have nether regions to abuse (Blu Pixi knows what I'm on about)...**

**I allow anynomous reviews...if you want a reply, or think you've got a cool profile page (all profile pages in my opinion) please do a signed one.**


	6. Bump In The Night

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 25th May, 8:09PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor) and bad language- won't corrupt the kids though, probably.**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 6: Bump In The Night**

_They look at me with pity, I can see it..._

_Can't you see I really don't care, can't you quit?_

_They haven't really gone, they're still by my side,_

_As long as I love them, they haven't really died._

_I know I'm not perfect, neither were they;_

_But we're together now, forever we'll stay.

* * *

Later that evening James pulled on his pyjamas and turned to Harry, who was curled up on the bed. "Hey little guy..." He said softly, barely above a whisper._

He didn't notice his friends pause at the tenderness in his voice.

James sat on the bed, pulling _Quiddich Through The Ages _from his bedside table. Harry sat peacefully between his outstretched legs.

"James, you alright mate?" Sirius called. He was looking concernedly at his friend like James had been replaced by an alien. James was acting so out of character.

James looked up at Sirius. "Yeah..." He looked at a loss for words. "Yeah, _I'm _ok..."

Remus walked over. "What's on your mind?" he probed. "Was it something McGonagall or Dumbledore said?"

James picked at the sheets. "H-Harry's an orphan!" he blurted out at last.

Something passed through Remus's eyes. "Oh..." he replied awkwardly. "Wanna talk 'bout it?" Remus sat lightly on the edge of the large bed-Peter and Sirius joined them. They didn't seem to mind the crowdedness.

"When Dumbledore did that...spell, remember? Well, he was looking at Harry's memories or something like that," James took a couple of deep, heaving breaths. "H-Harry remembers h-his parents b-being murdered." He closed his eyes as if to spare himself from the horror of watching his friend's faces. "-by V-Voldemort"

The effect was immediate- Peter shuddered, Sirius looked stunned that James had said the name, and Remus's face washed with pain.

But James wasn't finished. "Harry's dad-" his voice broke, yet James regained it. "-Harry's dad tried to fight Him off-he told his wife to run with Harry. Then V-Voldemort, after he killed Harry's dad, went after his mum..."

Sirius's face was pale, with a slight greenish tinge.

"Harry's mum begged for Him to leave. She begged for Him to spare Harry's life. Voldemort only wanted Harry...he woulda spared her if she stepped aside. He only wanted Harry..." James puzzled over this fact for a minute "Then He killed her."

Something wet dropped onto his hand. James was crying, without realising it. Embarrassed, he wiped his eyes-only to see Remus was crying too.

"Why?" Sirius croaked. "Why does he do this...how can he get a kick out of this type of stuff? How can he hurt so many families?"

If it had been a light-hearted situation, Remus may have dared to roll his eyes. He didn't. "Same reason he got Greyback to bite me when I was nine-it's just what he does," Remus whispered.

The three other boys turned sharply to him. He had never told them who had bitten-or when he was bitten.

"I wanna have him gone," James growled. "I want him dead!" He looked at Harry. "I betcha want him gone too."

A small pair of arms reached around his waist. "Daddy no get angwy," Harry ordered James, peering up with those luminous green eyes. "Hawwy is happy here. Bad man gone now." Harry put a hand to his mouth in thought. "Mummy say daddy ok. Hawwy say daddy ok. Daddy say daddy ok?"

James held the little boy, resting his chin on the soft ebony curls so like his own. "Yeah Harry, your daddy will be ok. Once the bad man's gone, everything will be alright. Nobody's gonna hurt you here...you're safe."

Harry breathed softly for a moment. "Does dat mean Pwongs can come bwack?"

He said this last statement so quietly no one heard him.

* * *

James forgot to put Harry in his cot that night. The tow hugged each other as they slept. In the middle of the night, James was jerked from his sleep by Harry kicking gently.

Harry whimpered, his eyes shut tight and snuggled closer to James, shaking.

James shook his puny shoulder. "Wake up," he said in a low voice as to not wake up his dorm mates, "it's only a dream."

Harry continued to shake and jerk. His arms started to beat James on the chest weakly, and his feet thrashed madly.

He kicked James where it really hurts.

"HOOOOOOOOOLLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTT!"

The only upside to his yelling was that Harry awoke-and thus stopped abusing James's nether regions.

Figures emerged from the bed in the dark like grotesque mud monsters from horror films. They groaned sleepily-some fell back when they saw it was only James. Not really important, not much.

"OOOOOOOOOOOWWWW, OOOW, OWWWWWWWWWWWEEEE! SWEET MERLIN!"

"James, can you please save it and practise cussing in DAYLIGHT HOURS." This voice sounded like a very scratchy version of Remus.

"Ye-ooooo-ah, go to sleep..." Yawned the figure to the left, and snoring came a second later from what was known as Peter's bed.

Harry patted James's groin, apparently unperturbed by the commotion. "Dere, dere. It's ok."

James swore long and loud at Harry, who dived under the duvet in fright.

"James, how could you. Not in front of the children!" came the holier-than-thou voice of Sirius.

"Piss off!"

There was a rustle of sheets, a groan of bedsprings, a thump an exclamation of pain and footsteps. Sirius's form loomed over James, who was clutching his family jewels. "I'm crippled!" James whimpered, his eyes large and round with unshed tears. He let out a whimper akin to a puppy.

Harry continued to pat the place he'd harmed unknowingly. He seemed to know exactly what had happened to James however-and how he should remedy it. It wasn't exactly helping…

"Daddy neber gets used to it," Harry shook his head sadly. "Hawwy do it lots, but Daddy stwill cwies. Mummy say Daddy is a bwaby."

The semi-awake Black asked stupidly "Who's your daddy?"

Harry knew Pafof liked to joke, but seriously (no pun intended) they got worse every time!

"Dat's Hawwy's dad!" Hawwy hit James's pride to accentuate his point-James howled with pain. Sirius smirked widely- boy, had this kid's parents got in early to explain things! "Pafof is vewy siwwy. Daddy no winkly no more."

James had somewhat recovered enough to hear this last part. "Hey, I'm not wrinkly!" He clutched his face, running his hand over his cheeks. "I think." He paused, as if to think over a highly important matter-depending on which way you look at it, it was-and then blinked. "and I'm not your daddy's either!"

If Harry could control his eye muscles enough, he would have rolled them. Same thing with his eyebrow muscles-he would have raised one. Sadly, he was only two and did not have enough control to do these things. So he gave Sirius a look that clearly said: _Daddy's lost it. Not that you didn't know that ages ago, but could you give me directions to St Mungos?_

"I'll leave you two alone to play, shall I?" Sirius suggested, backing slowly towards his bed in the hopes of not being noticed.

Harry slept in his cot for the rest of the night.

* * *

Lily looked up from her book to see James Potter, git extraordinaire hobbling over to her across the common room. She frowned when she saw he was holding a book in front of his...you-know-what. Usually he left it in view (ok, so he always wore clothes, but it's not like he didn't know girls liked to check out his bum...excluding Lily of course-on the ass checking front, not him knowing it...she honestly doesn't know where you people get these things from) but it was weird-more people seemed to notice it with it covered. Of course, the best way to be noticed is to not be there...yes, that was surely it. James Potter had discovered reverse phycology.

The end of the world as we know it had come.

He dumped the boy in her arms, looking glad and relieved.

"How is he?" she asked quickly.

"Fine."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"Any problems?"

"It's all fine."

Flicking a tiny purple sock onto the top of the pile of Harry's possessions, James turned abruptly and headed for the portrait hole.

Lily was very confused. Usually he hanged around to talk, with his fixation with her and all. Yet this morning he had been annoyingly short with her. She hated reverse phycology.

She gazed after him, wondering if he would turn around, cocky grin in place and ask her out. She would reply negative of course, but that wasn't the point. Lily was a creature of habit- and her habits had been thrown out the window along with everyone else's.

Suddenly, with one foot in the hole, James called over his shoulder. Lily listened (purely out of habit, mind you), expecting a marriage proposal. Yawn.

"Oh yeah Evans, you better be nice to Harry. He's an orphan." James said clearly. Many people turned, looking towards the orphan with pitying eyes.

Sirius sidled up to her friend a minute later. "You know, pretending to be one of those deep-sea fish with big jaws that can't close isn't very _you_."

She looked at him, her mouth still opened. Her hands gestured to the exit in silent question. "I'm scared of him," Sirius explained.

Lily could relate to that. For the first time in her life, she had something in common with Sirius Black. Being a Gryffindor seventh year wasn't included.

* * *

"_He said WHAT?" _Alice choked, spitting out half of her pumpkin juice onto the table, soaking a recently landed owl. The snowy shook his now orange feathers in a peeved off manner and hopped further down the table towards a first year. The kid's eyes popped wide and he shuffled away from it. The bird gave an indignant hoot and took off, landing on the staff table.

Lily nodded glumly, pushing her lunch around her plate. Harry swallowed his mashed pear.

"Juice?" Lily offered Harry. He gulped greedily.

Alice watched the pair critically. "Does it really bother you?"

Lily glared. "I thought you were my friend! You're supposed to agree with me on EVERYTHING!"

"Yes well, what's done is done," Alice said gravely.

"Yes, true, but you don't just go shouting those things in public!" Lily cried hysterically.

"Lily, it happens all the time, it's a part of life...for now at least."

Harry patted Lily consoling on the shoulder. "Hawwy dun cware if mummy's fwat."

Lily burst into tears.

STOP. REWIND.

Lily wasn't crying over Harry's orphan status. She'd hugged the boy and whisked him away to a hearty breakfast. It couldn't be true, not if Potter said it. She would ask Dumbledore whether he'd had any progress finding the parents later. Potter liked to joke- why would now be different?

No, the reason she was behaving as if doomsday had arrived was because someone had passed around a note in class. Well, not exactly a note.

A picture.

Somehow they had super-imposed Lily's head onto the body of some renaissance-type woman's body, rolling naked on a velvet bedspread. Lily was utterly mortified.

The laughter. The leers. The smirks. The boys checking her out. Snape drawling "My, my, what do we have here?" when it entered his grasp during charms.

A shadow fell over Lily. She twisted around, and her blood ran cold.

* * *

**A/N: Put your hands up if you love suspense! (Oh, me! Pick me!) Yes, it was sad. I know. I feel for you readers... I'm looking forward to some regurgitation in future. Guys, I'm sorry, but I'm a girl so I have no idea whether I over/under played the "Oww, My nuts!" thingy. Tell me...**

**I'm amusing myslef at the moment by drawing little cartoons of all Harry Potter characters as babies...I love Luna Lovegood and Neville. And of course, Albus Dumbledore hasn't lost the beard, even in infancy. LOL.**


	7. Enemies In The Walls

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 27th May, 5:24PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 7: Enemies In The Walls**

_What is done is done, _

_And we'll meet the future when it comes._

_Frightful events, they draw near,_

_The darkest wizard you have to fear._

_When the enemy dwells inside the walls,_

_Fight it strong, before our army falls.

* * *

_

Lily burst into the room, slipping on the slick floor. Harry was clutched to her chest. Sobbing, she slid down the wall.

She had thought her day couldn't get worse. But as the old saying goes: 'just as they thought things couldn't get any worse, it did'.

Her legs stretched out in front of her. Harry was sleeping, mercifully. She held him as a small child would hold their most beloved toy. Holding on for dear life.

The face. The eyes...the shudder she had tried to suppress.

She really didn't like Severus Snape.

Although she had flown at Potter and his cronies every time they abused the Slytherin, it was not because she cared for him. It was because she believed, given the chance, anyone could be good. Potter was taking away that chance.

Lily had had that chance stolen from her by her sister, and that was the reason she couldn't stand it happening to anyone else.

So she didn't she any reason why Snape treated her like he did. Cold indifference, and a jibe every so often. What he had said today was worse than cruel, however.

_You looked way better in the picture, Evans._

What did you say to that? Agree that you looked amazing with a body ten times the size of your own? Or realise you're actually ugly in real life? Get real.

_I'd love to see it again._

She felt dirty, and ashamed and...red. Her face was the same colour as her hair.

_Care to give a demonstration? So many people are so eager to see it._

Is this what being a prostitute felt like? Having no purpose but to fulfil hormonal boy's dreams? She hiccupped, holding back to bile.

she closed her eyes, but his dark ones stared back at her from under her lids.

Ewww.

It was bad enough seeing snape in the flesh, but in her mind? She shuddered.She just wanted for it to go.

The door creaked. Lily's face buried itself in Harry's soft black hair. The tears still came, her breath still shuddered and came in gasps.

Something warm appeared at her side, and an arm snaked its way across her heaving shoulders. A smell that was unfamiliar wafted up her nose; wood, rain, dirt and grass and a whiff of something that was suspiciously like fur. It was the most perfect smell she'd ever come across, she could practically drink it in.

Whoever it was rocked her comfortingly, not saying a word but letting her cry. She was glad-it really got on her nerves when people asked "are you alright?" in these types of situations-it was obvious that she was not.

"Ohhh...Evans and Potter sitting on the floor, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes luurve, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage-"

"Shut up Myrtle!"

There was no way Lily could mistake that voice. Her eyes swivelled to look at James Potter, Head boy, git and the best smelling person she'd ever met. She did the only sensible thing she could do...she screamed.

Most people would recoil from such an action. But _no_, Potter had to be so- urgh- as to hold her tighter. "He's a right foul git, ain't he?" he asked her.

Who's a foul git? Snape? James? Harry? Santa Claus?

She struggled, and stood, backing away towards the sinks. Not really thinking, she dumped Harry into one of the sinks and continued to watch Potter like a caged animal. "Leave me alone, it's none of you business."

"None of my business?" He asked, taking a step towards her, hands hanging limply by his sides. "How so?"

"BECAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, WHY SHOULD YOU BLOODY CARE, NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Of course I care," James said softly, in an almost hurt tone.

"I DON'T CARE! LEAVE ME ALONE, JUST GO!"

_Leave me alone. Leave him alone, he's just a child. Go, go, go!_

Lily didn't understand why James had blanched as he did at her words. "Say that again," he coughed.

"I beg you pardon?"

"Say _'Leave me alone' _" James repeated.

"Leave me alone?" she said confusedly.

James nodded. "Now say, _'he's just a child'_, go on, say it."

"He's just a child," Lily said, feeling like a fool.

_Sssssssssssssssssaaaaaaaaar ssssssssay sssasssssssaaaassssshiiiiiiiii._

Moaning Myrtle screamed. James's face drained completely, eyes locked on the sink behind Lily. Lily felt her spine stiffen.

_Ssssssssssssssllassssaaaaaaarrrrrrr sssssssssssssssssssseeennnnnnn._

Moaning Myrtle floated stock-still beside James, looking more of a ghost than ever before.

Something groaned behind Lily. Her heart thumping a million beats per second, she turned slowly.

Harry was in the sink, looking as carefree as before. But the sink was descending. Lily, on pure instinct, grabbed him before it sank completely into the floor, revealing a gaping hole.

Myrtle whimpered.

"Lily, I want you to back away slowly," James said. "Come very slowly towards me."

There was no way Lily was stupid enough to disobey him.

Once she reached him, she held onto him. "W-what…happen..." she stammered.

James was staring at Harry however. "He's a parselmouth," he said, as if in awe. He looked towards the hole. "And...Sweet Merlin." He turned to the frightened ghost of Myrtle. "Can you get Dumbledore?"

She nodded mutely and floated up through the ceiling, looking thoroughly grateful to be leaving.

Minutes later, Dumbledore entered, took one look around and paled. "What is going on?" he bit out.

"Harry-sir. He spoke snake language, sir." James said in shock. Dumbledore strode over to the hole and peered down it. "Genius," he muttered. He glanced at Lily. "Could I have Harry a moment, please?" The boy was placed in his arms by a numb Lily Evans.

Dumbledore took out his wand and started to wordlessly twirl it around Harry's head, his eyes closed in concentration. A full ten minutes later his eyes opened.

He looked very disappointed, yet relieved. "No difference," he muttered.

"No difference between what, sir?" James asked curiously.

"Nothing that really concerns you, dear boy." Dumbledore said lightly, but with a hidden trace of finality that told the two student they were not to talk of this. "But I think I may keep young Harry here for a few days, to give you two a rest."

Lily highly doubted that was honestly the reason, but did not object. Placidly she and James left the bathroom, just as the bell rang.

They were only one minute late for class.

* * *

James had forgotten all about asking Lily to say those odd sentences, but Lily had not. _Leave me alone. He's just a child. _Yep, something was definitely off about that.

Lily wanted to find out why.

Snape threw a smug look over his shoulder as she sat down. She knew her face was tear-stained.

"Sod off," she muttered, even though he wouldn't hear her. He turned back, and James slipped- to her annoyance and embaressment - into the seat next to her.

"I don't think I will," James whispered, not even looking at her but locking his eyes on Professor Flitwick.

Why did Lily have to be surrounded by her enemies?

* * *

Dumbledore placed the toddler on his desk. "Harry Potter, what am I to do with you?" he asked, stroking his long silver beard.

"Ga-ga." Harry answered sincerely.

"Well yes, here's that." Dumbledore said thoughtfully as if it were an intelligible answer. "But not the best idea, dear child, no…"

Harry snorted and pulled a piece of parchment from the bottom of a pile. He haughtily lowered his eyes with the air of a secretary.

Never mind he couldn't read.

After a moment of glaring at it, he gently put it down. His small podgy hand went to his chin. "Switch." he said simply. "Switch."

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore said amusedly. "Switch what?"

"Stop." Harry ordered.

Dumbledore could never had guessed that Harry was mimicking him from another time.

Dumbledore leaned across the desk. "Do you like Voldemort?" he asked.

Many people would say this was a stupid question to ask a boy so young. He couldn't possibly understand.

But there is a theory. A theory that, before children can successfully communicate with adults, they have infinite knowledge.

The theory isutter rubbish. Just in case you were stupid enough to believe it.

But babies do know, in their first couple of years of life, what their destiny is. But since they are so young, they cannot possible notify anyone else, and as soon as they are able to do that, they forget.

Harry was still at the age where he knew his destiny. He hadn't gotten to the part of his life where he claimed "I wanna be a fire engine when I grow up " ( nor the wizarding version of "I wanna be a broomstick when I come of age"). He just knew his destiny like one knows the present weather (about to rain, for your information).

But he couldn't really talk, except a few phrases.

There was no way he could tell Dumbledore he was THE ONE. The Chosen One, if you will. But Harry knew it, and that was enough.

"Huggy?" He asked, stretching his arms towards the older man. Dumbledore obliged and held the boy close.

"I have a good feeling about you, Harry."

Harry put a hand to his small mouth.

"Now, now, I know you don't think so, but I can feel you're gong to be great, little Potter. Well, that's a rather-"

He stopped, because Harry had turned green.

"Harry?" he questioned. He hadn't much experience with such young children.

Harry's mouth opened and he projectile vomited into the Headmaster's beard. now, we all know Dumbledore is the most forgiving of all people (second only to god), but this was just too much. It was worse than when he'd eaten a vomit-flavoured Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean...the stench of vomit hung around him like a mist. Spluttering he put Harry on the floor and performed some quick, spectacular spell work. He robes cleaned themselves, his hat wringed itself out and his shoes flew to the window and started to tap each other clean.

Several storeys below two second year students screeched as the orange and green goo landed on their heads.

He turned to Harry with a glare that could make Voldemort himself break down in tears of fright.

Harry smiled contently back.

"Fankyou Bwumble."

Dumbledore resolved to reconsider whether Harry was a dark or a light wizard.

* * *

As Dumbledore retreated to his bed that night he spared a look out the window. The stars shone bright, and the quarter moon looked dull and tired of shining upon the world. That was a feeling he couldn't relate to, not yet in his long life. He had never felt weak, as of such. Not weak enough to want to give up.

Dumbledore thought over the memory of Harry's he had seen. The older James Potter's eyes sweeping gently, almost knowingly out the darkened window. The tinkle of a stone hititng a flower pot.

Lily's eyes. So full of love throughout the whole ordeal. They way she stood infront of Harry, dying to protect him.

Harry had survived Voldemort. He had crippled the Dark Lord whilst doing so. Wow.

There was hope for them yet. But the question was...what now? Let Harry stay? Send him back to face his destiny- because Dumbledore had no doubt that Voldemort had not been fully defeated that night. Tell James and Lily? So many questions. And whatever choice he made in the end, no matter what it was, Dumbledore had an inkling he would regret it.

He pulled the blankets up to his chin, his mind sifting through the choices.

If he sent Harry back (or forward or whatever appropriate term should be used) would, or should he or anyone else remember Harry? Or would or should they be forced to forget in order for the fates to play their hands undisturbed?

He tossed in the silence.

A low rumble seemed to shake the ancient school's foundations.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sat up in bed, his bed cap askew, eyes searching out his shaking door in the dark.

* * *

**A/n: It sucks, I know (alright, so the chamber got opened, big deal) but I'm a crap bucket at the moment. And don't ever ask me to repeat Dumbly-dorr's full name ever again. **

**Read? Liked? Hated? REVIEW! (or I'll get the monster of Slytherin to come after you...not pleasant)**


	8. Behind Closed Doors

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 27th May, 5:24PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 8: Behind Closed Doors**

_Death and destruction, the felons of war,_

_What hides, what lies beyond an impressive door._

_However, when you seek something that is not yours_

_Be wary of what you find on shelves and in drawers._

_Because face it, you are not alone_

_All you keep is not your own.

* * *

_

Lily unstuck her cheek from the book she was sleeping on. She looked around, but the common room was still. But she'd swear on her son's grave (ha-ha what a laughable thought, Lily Evans having kids!) that it had been shaking before.

Blasted nightmares.

She looked around. She was alone in the common room...except for that lump by the window over there. Moonlight sifted through the window onto the person's face. Lily approached cautiously. Everyone knows to be cautious in these times.

So she was slightly disappointed when she set her eyes on not an alien or Death Eater, but Potter in all his moonlit glory.

So, in her fury, she poked his ghostly white cheek.

His eyes opened, and he peered owlishly up at her, his other cheek still on the window pane and his glasses pushed up into his hair.

"Angel?" he said.

"Mind your language Potter," she snapped automatically.

He struggled to sit up, rubbing his cheek. "Since when did 'angel' become a rude word Lily?"

She narrowed her eyes at his use of her first name.

The common room shook and a low rumble seemed to reverberate from the walls. Lily clutched onto a chair to keep her balance.

"WHAT IS THAT?" James roared.

Lily gave him _'how can you expect me to know_' look. She felt like she was experiencing an earthquake. Suddenly, it all stopped and she collapsed to the floor in shock. James helped her up. She tried vainly to ignore that he didn't let go of her hand once she'd regained her footing. They looked at the portrait hole.

"Should we check it out?" James asked.

"Absolutely not! we're head boy and girl, how could-"

"It's our duty to see if there's trouble," James reminded her. Lily looked at him in wonder. What he had said made sense. Granted, she had just woken up, but still.

"Wait here." He let go of her hand.

Lily wondered whether she'd missed something. So Potter thought he was going on his own, did he? Her mind stopped this vein when he bounded up the boy's staircase. Now that was peculiar...surely he wasn't planning on getting some shuteye _now _?

Minutes later he was bounding down again, with what looked like a blanket in one hand and a piece of parchment in the other. "Magic tricks," he explained.

Perhaps she was dreaming. That would explain all the odd happenings of late. Since when did wizards use 'magic' tricks?

"Wh-huh?"

He swirled the 'blanket' and it settled over the pair of them. "So we won't be seen," he explained. Lily thought that was pretty stupid- people were more like to notice a walking blanket than two people. "It's an invisibility cloak." Oh.

He opened the parchment, which was blank. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

She gasped as lines started to appear, making up a map of what was unmistakably Hogwarts. James gave a small smirk and scanned it. Nobody was on their level, so they proceeded out the portrait hole.

It was eerie, Lily concluded, walking through the castle at night. It was too quiet, too dark, too_ big._

At the end of the seventh floor corridor, James stopped. "Dumbledore's in the entrance hall, and so is McGonagall," he murmured. "Sluggie's in his office...Hagrid at the gates for some reason..."

Lily was watching the map as well. As she glanced at where 'James Potter' and 'Lily Evans' stood, her heart stopped beating.

Someone was heading their way.

And it was not a student nor a teacher. Well, it had once been a student, because she recognised the name. _Lucius Malfoy._

Lily knew he was a Death Eater. Footsteps could be heard faintly around the corner.

Completely forgetting they were under an invisibility cloak, she grabbed James's hand and dragged him along, desperately hoping they would not be found. She ran along the corridor, head boy in tow, when she did a double-take and dragged James through a door. Closing it swiftly, she sank to the floor, breathing in gasps.

James pulled off his cloak in confusion. He opened his mouth to speak. Footsteps patted past the door, and he snapped his jaw shut with and audible _click. _He glanced at the map and his face visibly lost colour at the name walking past where they should be.

The name walked off at a stroll towards Dumbledore's office.

"That was way too close," Lily breathed.

"What was he doing in the school!" James cried.

"I don't know." Lily looked around. They were not in a classroom, as she had thought, but somewhere altogether different.

For the best of purposes, it looked like a muggle living room. A thick carpet in maroon and a matching armchair adorned the room generally. A TV sat calmly in the corner and the coffee table was covered in magazines.

It looked like a mix between Lily's house and the Gryffindor common room. Nice.

"Where the hell are we?" James asked, as if mortally offended that he didn't know.

"Somewhere," Lily answered helpfully. James gave her a glare.

"I think we should go after Malfoy...he could be up to something." He said after a moment of pregnant silence.

"_Could be?" _

"Ok, is up to something. We gotta stop him!"

Boys, will females ever understand them?

"Why?"

Growling, James pulled her out of the room and dragged her along the corridors, the cloak forgotten in his pocket. Lily wondered briefly where on earth he'd got the map. Then it occurred to her he'd probably made it himself, with all the stuff he got up to. And that password...it explained a lot.

They found the entrance to the Headmaster's office (where Malfoy had disappeared into). Lily loved being head girl because it meant she didn't have to guess the password. "Pecan Nougat."

At the door, Lily knew something bad had happened.

The door was open. Dumbledore's door was never open.

The pair drew their wands from their pockets without even considering the fact that they hadn't done so before now, and James looked at her. Lily nodded.

James kicked the door open. With a crash it slung inwards.

Lucius Malfoy looked up, startled. The twenty three year old Death Eater dropped the file he held in his hand. "Well, well, well," he sneered.

He only needed to say that to give away the fact that he had no idea who they were. And in the time it took for Lily to process this, Malfoy's want had been summoned into her hand.

Good thing.

Malfoy looked outraged. "Give me back my wand little girl."

"Little? Little!" Lily screeched. The man was only five years older than her.

"What are you doing here?" James asked, in what Lily thought was a very stupid, arrogant and ever-so brave voice.

Lucius carefully shut the draw in front of him. Seeing this possible threat, Lily ordered, feeling very much like a cop, "Put your hands where we can see them and step away from the desk!"

Lucius raised his hands and stepped back.

Lily, quite enjoying herself, finished the statement. "You have the right to remain silent. If you choose to abuse this right, anything you say can, and will be used against you in the court of la-Wizengamot."

James and Lucius looked confused. "Pardon?" James said, instinctively turning to talk to her.

This was a mistake. Lucius's hand dove into his pocket.

"STUPIFY!"

The red light dashed across the room...

But it was too late. Lucius disappeared by what was evidently a port key. It had been in his pocket. The stunner hit one of the portraits on the wall and the inhabitant leaped out into the lap of his neighbour. Blushing and apologising profusely he stumbled back into his own smoking chair.

"DAMN!" James cried, jumping over to where Lucius had stood moments ago. "He got away!"

A thought come to mind for Lily. "You don't think...he took anything of Dumbledore's, do you? I mean, he was here a good fifteen minutes before us."

James looked up from the spot where the Death Eater had been, eyes growing wide. "Check to see if anything seems to be missing!"

James scanned his eyes over the desk and opened the drawer Lucius had been nailing through. Lily checked the shelves for any blanks in the dust. She was inspecting what looked like a monkey's head, when a shimmering light caught her eye. It was like the reflection of water, dancing on the wall. Turning she eyed the direction the light came from. A glass-fronted cabinet stood with it's doors ajar. Lily crept over and opened the door to its fullest.

It looked like a stone bowl. Runes that Lily couldn't decipher ran along the edge. Most intriguing of all, was its contents.

Swirling and seemingly giving a light off of its own, Lily couldn't decide whether it was liquid, gas or solid. It was like wind made solid. It span around and around, and Lily peered over the edge.

She managed to tear her eyes away from a second...to see a couple of round, dust free circles on the edge of a collection of bottles. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Lily realised what Malfoy had stolen. He had stolen some of the- _the stuff._

"James, I think you should come here," she said slowly and worriedly. James hurried over, looking concerned. She pointed to the circles, then to the basin.

His eyes, like hers, was drawn to the basin. "What do you think it is?"

Lily shrugged. The pair peered in, curious.

James thought he could see something moving in the shining depths. He leaned closer, trying to see what it was. Lily copied- she must have noticed it too.

It was only when James found himself experiencing the horrible feeling of falling that he realised getting so close was quite a mistake.

He found himself outside a cottage. It was dark, for the moon was evidently in the new moon phase.

A red star twinkled overhead. James turned to the window.

Lily, scared, tugged him from the window. "I don't think we should be seen!" she hissed.

James glanced down the street, then froze. A figure was ambling along it, with purpose. They were dressed all in black, a hood pulled up over their head. And James, even though he'd never met the man, knew it was Voldemort. Lily followed his gaze-her grip on his wrist grew tighter.

The figure reached the cottage gate, which opened soundlessly. He started to walk up the gravel pathway. A rock skittered away, and hit a flowerpot just to the right of the shadow in which James and Lily hid in.

James faintly heard motion inside the house.

Voldemort watched the bouncing stone, his red eyes gleaming as they searched the spot where James stood. Voldemort did not seem to see him, although the red eyes definitely settled on an area around James's stomach. "Lily," he hissed, "I don't think he can see us...I think we're in a memory..."

It was the only thing he could think up of that made sense. Lily nodded in agreement and they stepped out of the shadow to follow the Dark Lord.

With small click, the door to the cottage opened, and Voldemort entered.

James, about to follow, paused. Why was the sequence of events familiar? Then, through the open door, he heard voices.

"...It's such a pleasure to meet you."

"Unfortunately I can't return the sentiment."

"No matter."

Something was definitely wrong, and the two seventeen year olds knew it. They were stuck in place outside the door, afraid to go inside. James was terrified of what he'd see, what he knew he would see, if he entered. It was this shock that had made both ignorant to how familiar the second voice sounded.

"You don't scare me," said this voice.

"No, I terrify you."

"The day I feel anything akin to fear of you is the day I die."

"So you will die today. Then your wife shall die, then your son."

"Never."

"You've already lost..."

James did not hear the rest of the statement as he turned to comfort Lily, who had started to shake.

"Avada Kedavra."

Green light shone out the window, and a _thump_ rang throughout the house. Lily wasn't the only one shaking. "I don't want to see, make it stop," she mumbled into his chest.

James however, knew he needed to know what happened next. He would never rest if he didn't, but he knew he'd never be able to do this again. "Stay here," he told Lily, setting her to sit on a bench.

He entered the house, barely noticing his surrounding as he proceeded, as if his feet knew the way, to a hallway. A door way at the end was empty, save for the long thing figure obstructing it. The ghastly head rose from the robes.

James wondered how many people had seen the back of Voldemort's head. Odd thought, really.

"Leave me alone," said a woman's voice quietly, in a childlike tone.

"Step aside girl, I've been here long enough," Voldemort commanded in a bored tone.

"No! Leave him alone, what has he ever done to you, he's only a baby!"

"Step aside, and I'll let you live."

"No, just go!"

"Step aside you foolish child!"

"Why won't you just leave him, he's only a child, defenceless, he'd never harm you!"

"You don't have to be so silly about this-"

"I'm not letting you have him!"

The Dark Lord lost his patience.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

_Thump._

James walked along the corridor, trying to stop his shakes. He was Gryffindor, for Christ's sake! He was supposed to be brave! But, in retrospect, not many Gryffindors had to see this type of thing.

Voldemort whispered something so quietly even James couldn't hear it.

Green light, for the third time, erupted from the cursed wand. The whole room seemed to shine with it. James clutched his chest as a baby's scream reached his ears, it was too much. Voldemort was bathed in green light.

And then the light was no more, and James's eyes popped out. Voldemort was gone, his robes pooled in the doorway. And James could see, directly through the doorway, a crib.

A small, black haired baby boy sat in the crib, gazing out.

James couldn't believe his eyes. The boy he had cared for a day sat in front of him. Little Harry was surrounded by a glowing red dome, which throbbed and sparkled with electric-like currents in a _comforting _way. "Mama?" the baby said uncertainly. "Dada? Woomta? Padfof?" The ball throbbed around him comfortingly. "Hawwy want mama!"

The ball shrunk toward the child in the centre. Soon the ball was like a glow on his skin. And then little baby Harry seemed to fade from existence.

James stumbled from the house, and found Lily outside. He fell into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. She shushed and crooned, stroking his hair. James looked up to find them in Dumbledore's office once again.

The door opened, and the pair turned their tear-streaked faces to see the newcomers.

Dumbledore entered, and sat serenely behind his desk. McGonagall glanced at the Headmaster questioningly, and Hagrid settled into a corner.

Dumbledore placed his head in his hands and murmured, not even looking up. "How much did you see?"

Lily buried her face in James's shoulder once again.

* * *

**A/N: It's longer sadder and has meaning...nooooooo!Yes, I purposely (sp?) left out James and Lily's names. Why? Becuase it's too early for them to find out. I've just started with a plot line, so I can't really put the climax in yet, hmmm?**

**Author's last note: If you hated it, tell me why; if you loved it, give a cry; and for the rest of you, tell me you were just passing by (review!) !**


	9. Mates, Dates and Papaya Fates

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 2nd June, 10:34PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept.Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend."You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 9: Dates, Mates and Papaya Fates**

_You may think of misery, you may think of me,_

_But what ever you ponder, just for a moment let it be._

_Say what needs to be said- all that you know,_

_For phrases can bind, unwind and let go._

_And hurt me if you will; however, at the end of the day,_

_Give us something to laugh about, send a sunshine my way.

* * *

_

Lily shuddered and shook, and James, not knowing what else to do, held the girl close. Carefully he ushered her to one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, and shuffled another chair right up next to it so Lily wouldn't have to let go. James took a seat.

"I believe we saw all of it," James informed the Headmaster softly. The old man looked pained.

"So what would you like to do?" Dumbledore asked after a pause.

James looked up from Lily's vibrant hair. "Do?" he echoed. "Harry's an orphan, because of-of that-that monster. What else could we do but protect him, and fight v-Voldemort?"

McGonagall twitched.

Dumbledore however, was gazing at James, a small wrinkle deepening on his forehead. "I thought you said you saw _all _of it."

"Well yeah, apart from the bits we were too scared to go in the house," James said, puzzled.

"Do you mean to tell me you don't know the identity of little Harry?" Dumbledore said sharply.

James shifted. "Of course not, most people don't shout out their own name when getting killed."

Dumbledore heaved a sigh of what sound suspiciously like relief. "No, they often don't."

And it was on that awkward note that the two teens were shooed from the Headmaster's office on the grounds of being well rested for the next day, the door closing on three figures whispering urgently.

"Headmaster, why won't you even tell _us? _" McGonagall cried in frustration.

"When the time comes, it will come. But for now I think we could all do with some sleep," Dumbledore waved off the Professor's complaints like a bothersome insect.

McGonagall stood up abruptly and swiftly left the room. Hagrid flinched, and then slowly made his own way after her. Dumbledore turned to little Harry, feeling somewhat embittered.

Lily and James walked slowly towards the common room, feeling tired yet nervous.

"Uh..." Lily began. "Sorry for crying on you."

James blushed deeply. "It's ok. I cried on you as well."

There was an uncomfortable pause. "You know, when you said Harry wasn't an orphan, I didn't believe you." Lily confessed.

James stayed quiet.

Lily felt the need to explain herself for some reason, to justify. "I mean, you're always pranking or pulling jokes. But...this year, even though it's been less than a week, it feels way longer, and you've-you've changed." Lily stopped, and James halted. She turned to face him. "What changed?"

James skidded his shoe on a flagstone. "I dunno. I guess...I guess I finally realised I had to grow up. Over the summer. Life doesn't go on forever, you know? I always knew that, and thought it was my, um, job to make the most of it. But I did it-well, not wrong per say- but not in the way that really counts. I've had fun, yes...but have I done anything really worthwhile?"

Lily tugged at a strand of her fiery hair. "I'm not sure either. I think- I think it's all the little things, that make up to the big things. Like waking up early and feeling like you're the only one alive-or sitting with your friends-or-or...falling love or something like that. God James, I'm only seventeen! I don't know!"

James looked up from the floor, straight into her eyes. "I think you do. We all do, somewhere deep inside of us. You're just too scared to realise."

He left, and Lily stood, mouth open and alone in the corridor, bathed in moonlight. She glanced out a high window, and a star twinkled in her direction.

* * *

The next morning Lily descended into the common room, only to be accosted by a haggard looking Potter...the same Potter who had made her toss and turn all night, mulling over his words.

"Lily. I just wanted to say...sorry. For what I said last night. I didn't mean for it to sound rude." He seemed genuinely concerned.

"Oh," was all Lily could say in reply.

"I just...I mean if you-wanted, to talk about it...what we saw." Potter ran a hand down his cheek, stretching the skin and making it sag. "If you ever need to...you can count on me, ok?" he gave her an almost pleading look. "I can safely say I'll understand."

"Oh, yes. That'd be nice." Lily answered softly. "c-Could we- if you're not busy that is- I don't know, go to the Three Broomsticks and talk it over a drink? On Hogsmeade weekends?"

James nodded. "Can do."

As he sat down in Transfiguration, he realised that Lily-in an odd sort of way- had asked him out.

"It's a date."

Sirius twirled his finger around his ear, and Remus nodded in agreement.

* * *

Dumbledore had never felt so tired. He was a man who usually got his priorities right, added to the fact he needed only about three hours sleep a night, it was safe for him to say he never really felt tired. It was the reason people thought he was so full of life.

But right now, he was very tired. He had hardly slept a wink last night.

The reason for his fatigue was the warm, carbon-based life-form on his lap, who was jigging gently up and down. The little boy made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. Dumbledore frowned-how dare Harry giggle when he, one of the best wizards in the world, was tired! Harry looked up. Was the boy _smirking_ at _him_, Albus Dumbledore? It definitely looked like it. A devilish glow grew in those green orbs. Dumbledore got so enhanced by it that he didn't notice a small hand snaking its way towards him. In a very Slytherin-like manner.

Many people don't really wonder about whether Dumbledore is ticklish or not. Who would dare to tickle him anyway? Well, the fact of the matter was Dumbledore was extremely ticklish, and it was one of the perks of being greatly respected was that nobody ever dared to attempt such a thing against him. But, of course, Harry didn't know that. All he knew was he had an unsuspecting victim, and his fingers were itching.

His chubby arm sunk through the white bead to reach the soft flesh hidden behind it. His little fingers fluttered, darted, digged.

It was as if he'd done it before.

Dumbledore let out a gasp, doubling over. Harry did not cease his actions, forcing the Headmaster to lean awkwardly over sideways in an attempt to get away. He leant and he leant until...with a thump he rolled onto the floor. Harry tumbled with him, and like a demented rubber ball, the little boy bounced. The bouncing baby bobbed up and down for a good few minutes, during which Dumbledore lay on the ground gasping in a very undignified manner. With a hiccup he sat up, his hat wobbling precariously. Slowly, in a way that reminds one of either a splattered egg or bird droppings, the hat slid forward and down his face to hang off his long crooked nose. He pinched the tip and daintily placed it back on his head, hiding the tiniest of bald patches. It was the size of a penny.

Nobody's perfect.

Harry, the amazing bouncing fer-ahem-_baby_ halted his bobbing and lowered gently to the rug. He propped himself on his hands and knees and crawled over to where the old man sat in a dazed fashion. He scrambled into the lap of the said man and tugged-ever so lightly as not to frighten him-on the long, thick, shining beard.

Dumbledore fixed his eyes on Harry.

"Naughty." Was all he managed to say.

"Nwaughwy." Harry repeated.

"No, you were naughty," Dumbledore corrected.

"You were nwaughwy," Harry mimicked.

This argument continued for about half an hour. Dumbledore, still arguing, stood up and dusted his crumbled robes. He scooped the villain-to-be (in his mind there was no doubt) and proceeded, somewhat reluctantly, down to a very late breakfast in the kitchens.

He passed a few late students on his way, which all scrambled towards their classrooms like scared mice in the face of a foreboding cat, fearful of the Headmaster's wrath. Not that he would do anything, but it did amuse him to see a third year grab the arm of a suit of armour and walk off with it instead of his bag, and the small first year who curtsied and bowed whilst asking for directions to the Charms classroom. He smiled as the girl skipped off in the opposite direction than what he'd told her, her pigtails flying.

He finally reached the portrait of the fruit and allowed Harry, tickler extraordinaire, to do the honours. He entered...

...and was nearly knocked to the floor by the crowd of house elves that rushed over.

"Master Dumbly, master Dumbly!"

"Is you wanting something to be eating, sir?"

"I has saved you some bacon, your majesty, I has!"

Dumbledore smiled amusedly (think Mona Lisa smile) and shook his head. He was met by gasps of shock. "No need to go overboard, friends (two elves actually fainted) I only want some fruit, light breakfast today."

The little creatures hurried off in a frenzy to be the one to serve him. Bananas and oranges were pushed into his hands, one of which Harry took with a goofy grin. Berries and peaches, dried apples and papaya were served on one of the long tables. Dumbledore thought it best if he didn't ask. He sat and picked up a strawberry. The elves waited with bated breath, eager.

He plopped it in his mouth. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...mmmmmmmmm..."

"Sir is liking the strawberries?"

Dumbledore, by way of an answer, piled his plate with berries. Eat while the good things last.

Harry, seeing his minder's reaction, decided there was no way he was going to miss out. He reached out and grabbed a handful-and slammed it into his face. Only half went in his mouth-the rest smeared and dribbled onto his chin, cheeks and button nose. His skin instantly started to stain a reddish-purple-blue. Dumbledore noticed and allowed himself a quiet chuckle.

"I take it you like it, Harry?"

Harry grabbed another handful.

It did not take long for the berries to disappear, and Dumbledore pulled the papaya onto his plate with interest. Harry darted forward, clasped some of the orange substance in his sticky fingers and mashed it into Dumbledore's beard.

Dumbledore jumped, dabbing at it. With a shrug he put Harry on the bench beside him...where Harry would not be able to reach the food. He quickly finished up, thanked the elves ( some more fell swooning to the floor) and exited, Harry on his hip.

Harry had fallen asleep, thank Merlin. As he walked, Dumbledore attempted first to clean Harry's berry-coloured face to no avail. With a sigh, he turned his attention to his beard with all the cleaning spells he knew...but none would work.

And so it was a very frustrated Dumbledore with an orange patch on his beard and a blue and purple faced baby on his hip that met an unsuspecting pair jigging class in the corridor. They took one look at the pair, untangled their fingers and other body parts, and then made their excuses to go and collect their books from their dorms-incidentally the books which happened to be in their hands.  
Ah...it is a burden to be great.

He also met the Divination teacher, an old crone ready-or past ready, is the more correct term- for retirement. They took one look at him and shrieked, "Oh, I saw this, purple and orange in my orb! Beware dear Headmaster, evil is afoot!"

He merely raised his eyebrows at her and continued on his merry way. He would never understand divination, especially the 'specialists' of the subject.

Much less that Professor who he had just passed.

He reached his office, preparing for a mid-morning siesta. He walked across the room to where the entrance to his quarters was concealed. He passed his desk, and the portrait of a past Headmaster, and stopped. The door to a glass-fronted cabinet swayed slightly in the breeze of air that his passing caused.

His eyes locked on a small dust-free patch beside the basin residing within the cabinet.

Well, at least he knew why the wards had gone off last night…and what Lily and James were doing in his office. He just wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Old age must be getting to him.

Someone had stolen a memory bottle. Which could only mean one thing.

He put Harry down.

* * *

**A/n: Being funny is hard work people...but I have a funny things set up for the future (giggles at one's own briilaince). This took me TWO days to succussfully update, it kept coming up with errors, so I hope you're happy. And yes, the tickling and house elves were a bit over-done and ina very shoddy way. Deal with it, I say.**

**Oh yeah, what James said to Lily, that was very profound for me. Hope you paid attention to it. And not only because it signifies the beginning of the Lily and James romance (um, I have to put it in...how else would Hawwy get born?) but because it's kinda true. In a way. Enough of my ramblings.**

**PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE GIVE IDEAS, POINT OUT MISTAKES, ASK QUESTIONS, ECT. BORE ME IF YOU HAVE TO, JUST FILL UP MY INBOX WITH MESSAGES. IT'S THE ONLY EXCUSE I GET FOR HOGGING THE COMPUTER...WHICH IN TURN MEANSI GET TO WRITE MORE. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	10. An Eventful Morning

**Important ( yet kinda unrelated) Notice: It has NEVER been mentioned in the books that a pensive is a way of STORING, or REMOVING memories. It is like a video camera (you being the camera), video (being the memory) and a TV (the pensive)-you may have a permanent record, but in your mind it is still there. It is a way of being able to 'experience' the memories after they have happened so that the viewer may gain knowledge of what happened-things they may not have noticed when the event was actually happening...exactly what Dumbledore uses it for. This is the theory I base all pensive and memory scenes on. It is totally different to what everybody else is writing- believe me, I have read over 300 stories and not once has this theory been used- other people write it as if the characters are LITERALLY taking the memory out of their head, so it is no longer in their head. I don't believe this. Maybe I'm wrong...or maybe I'm very observant. If you got a problem, deal with it. I had to deal with 300 stories worth of this.**

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 2nd June, 10:34PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

****Chapter 10: An Eventful Morning**

_Tonight I had no sleep, so in the morning I won't wake,_

_All words I say will not be remembered; honesty you can't take._

_I'll say it wrong- all phrases I said, it isn't true,_

_I know it will break your heart, right in two._

_But you set me right, onto my merry way,_

_I know you will, and I believe all you say.

* * *

_

The Harry we know dislikes attention. All he wants is to be normal. He is nothing like his father who craves admiration.

But that was after certain events that made Harry think that way. People are designed by the way they grow up- they are what other people make them to be. So far, Harry had grown up with loving people and he wanted all their attention. So being put on a chair by a man who he had had all to himself moments before (it did not matter that Harry was asleep) did not agree with the little boy.

"WAHHHHHH!" He yelled. It did not work. Dumbledore continued to move away towards that box thingy over there. No fair.

"WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

No response.

Harry thought as hard as a boy his age could on how to get the man to pay attention to him. No intelligent thoughts came. Harry frowned in frustration- was he the son of a marauder or not! He watched as Dumbledore ran his hands over the rim of the pensive, his orange beard shining oddly.

Orange beard...

The next moment Dumbledore's fingers got a slight orange tinge to them, but the old man didn't notice. With a wicked grin on his face, Harry concentrated hard, keeping his eyes locked on his target. The orange grew stronger and crept under the mans sleeves- the only indication that it had travelled was when the man's neck started to turn orange as well. It was a rather nice orange, Harry thought, the colour of mangoes or papayas. As soon as a picture of a papaya appeared in Harry's little head, some black spots appeared of the Headmaster's skin. With a squawk, the man jumped, holding his hands up at eye level.

He turned to Harry. Harry grinned happily. Finally!

The man-turned-papaya stared at Harry, wondering why he had ever asked to take care of him. One thing was for certain-Harry would not remain with him much longer.

But Dumbledore was still tired.

With a yawn he held his arms out to Harry, who crawled into them gratefully and he headed for his sleeping quarters. Gently he lowered Harry into the elaborate cot he had conjured earlier, and peered down at the boy through the floating mobile of planets. The boy's eyes drifted shut, and his small lips parted in a baby yawn. Dumbledore had to admit, as much as little ones were bothersome, they were positively _cute_! He suddenly found it hard to walk away, eyes riveted on his charge. The small chest moved up and down. Saturn dipped low.

_I have some very unfortunate news, Mr and Mrs Potter._

Harry's minuscule thump disappeared between his lips.

_It has come to my attention that your son..._

Harry's fringe was parted, the curious lightning-bolt shaped scar clearly visible.

_...along with another young boy..._

Dumbledore wondered what the boy's future would hold. Who would be his friends? Would he come to Hogwarts? What house would he be in?

_...has recently become the focus of Voldemort's attentions._

Dumbledore stretched out a orange hand with black spots towards the scar.

_I am afraid you will need to go into hiding, to protect your son._

A long, slightly wrinkled finger landed on the smooth pale skin, tracing towards the angry red welt.

_It would be best if you used the Secrecy Charm to ensure no one finds you. I would be happy to oblige if you..._

His finger tip finally reached the cut, and he traced it ever so carefully as not to wake little Harry Potter.

"ANHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Harry tossed onto his back like a fish out of water, gasping in fear and pain. His eyes were scrunched up, his face turning red. As if burnt, Dumbledore drew his hand away, eyes widening behind his half-moon glasses. Harry whimpered, and his eyes shot open.

Dumbledore's hand clutched at thin air until it came to rest on the edge of the cot, the rest of him still as if paralysed.

The shining light of the killing curse receded to be replaced with familiar emerald in his eyes. The scar continued to stand out clearly on Harry's head, almost black in colour.

_But it was the look Harry gave Dumbledore as he woke that frightened the old man._

The sneering rage disappeared to be replaced by the innocence of youth. Exhausted, Harry flopped back onto the cot, his thumb finding its way back to his mouth. His breathing slowed.

And with his, so did Dumbledore's.

Surely it was just a dream. Surely it was a trick of the light.

There was no way Voldemort could or would be possessing a baby.

It was with this thought in mind and heart that the Headmaster fell asleep.

* * *

When Dumbledore awoke, it was one in the afternoon, or lunch time byHogwarts standards. With a grumble (believe it or not, Dumbledore was capable of grumbling) the man sat up and rubbed his eyes. Finding that he had fallen asleep in his clothing, he did a quick cleaning charm and reached into the cot, scooping up the still asleep baby. With his wand tucked away, the Headmaster proceeded to the Great Hall.

Lily yawned. She had been excused along with James halfway through class that morning to go and get some rest. It was now lunchtime, yet still Lily felt her eyelids droop.

She met the Headmaster at the doors to the Great Hall. The man looked..._old. _Of course, Lily always knew he wasn't a spring chicken but- well, he didn't act old. But his skin was a considerable tone lighter and saggier. His robes were not as elaborate at normal.

Oh, and he looked like a walking papaya.

Lily did a double-take, staring blatantly at the orange Headmaster. He spotted her, and without a word, placed Harry in her slack arms wordlessly. Then, shaking his head, he disappeared into he Great hall.

By the time Lily had made it into the Hall, he was seated, looking decidedly brighter (in orange-ness and mood), talking animatedly with Professor McGonagall. For some reason, little yellow ducklings were marching on the desk in front of him, and Lily got the sneaky suspicion that they were talking about baby fashions, for some odd reason.

Snorting, Lily slipped into her normal seat. Alice did not dare give a comment on Harry's appearance, and solemnly gave her a bowl of mashed apple instead. Harry however, decided he didn't want apple. He decided he wanted to go on to bigger and better things...bigger meaning _big,_ and better meaning...a sausage. Not any sausage, mind you. A huge sausage. It went on for a good three feet. With no qualms, Harry crawled onto the table and stuck the end, as much of it as he could possible fit, into his mouth. He sat there, sucking happily.

"I would say he's demented," James said, plonking himself, ever so annoyingly, beside Lily. "But that might hurt his feelings."

Lily took a deep breath to tell him to get lost, and gagged.

He smelt, in short, like he'd just gotten out of bed. Lily isn't ignorant, mind you- but James smelt really, really, really, really, really (times by one hundred) bad. Like dirty clothes, un-showered men, sweat, wood, and for reasons that a neither here nor there, fur.

Lily's nose tried the impossible feat of climbing up her face, but ending up having to settle for being wrinkled much like a prune.

"Ever heard of a shower, James?" She cringed.

He turned, blearily, to look at her. "Yes..."

"Why ever did you not take one then? You smell worse than Snape's hair!" Lily exclaimed.

James just stared at her, mouth sagging slightly-he happened to be shocked at the comment about Snape. Lily thought he looked like one of those googly-eyed fish she'd seen in the pet shop, his over-round glasses hanging precariously or the edge of his nose, and his black hair. Shiny jet black hair.

Lily shook her head.

"It doesn't!" James asked hopefully.

Lily nodded.

Confusion was written evidently across James's face. "Does that mean I do smell, or I don't smell?"

"You smell."

"Oh," was all she got in response. James turned to his place, and dug into his own share of the magnificent sausage.

It was when he was cleaning up his plate when James finally commented, "Hogsmeade weekend next week."

Lily fought against sighing, rolling her eyes or some equally un-head girl behaviour. "So? It's not like it involves the two of us, together."

James looked extremely hurt. "But you said- I mean, I thought..."

Alice leaned to whisper in Lily's ear. "You asked him out to the Three Broomsticks this morning, don't you remember?"

Lily whipped around. "I _WHAT!"_

Lily had unfortunately forgotten the events of this morning during her morning nap...Alice had taken advantage of this to set up her best friend with James Potter, if not for the sake of love but so she could win a bet.

Come on, you didn't think Alice was completely innocent, did you? Even the best of friends bet on each other.

"Yes, you did. I think it would be very rude, not to mention un-head girl like to refuse him now. Look at him, he's crushed." And with that Alice turned Lily's eyes to look at the miserable looking Potter, who was staring at one of the strings from the sausage as if contemplating hanging himself with it.

The combined comment about her head girl status, and the sad sight that was Potter (smelly, dishevelled, miserable, wretched, tired, the list goes on) was enough to make Lily sigh. "Fine. I'll go with you."

Potter's face was cracked in half by a smile.

Then he pulled Lily's head in and kissed her deeply. He rushed off, whooping, leaving a stunned Lily touching her lips in confusion.

Alice turned, a pleasant smile on her face to a fifth year girl, her hand held out. "Ten galleons, and not a knut less. I win."

Harry smirked, and then crawled over to Lily. Then with the same bravado as his (unknowing) father, he placed a kiss on her cheek. It was wet and slobbery...but Lily would never remember it.

She had a date.

* * *

**A/n: Gosh guys, this was hard...not because my imagination failed me. No, it was because I was packing. Yes, that's right. PACKING. I am going on a 5 week holiday to the land of Harry Potter (Britian, you nitwits) and will probably have no internet access during that period. I am sorry in advance for that. So that means a six week break from this day (unless by some miricle, internet just somehow works, even without a connection). I hope to write whislt away, but you never know. I AM NOT ABANDONING THE STORY. You won't believe how bad I feel. I love writing. And I'm only allowed one notebook and two books with me.**

**Oh, and I have nightmare relatives that I have to visit. Oh, I'm sure my demented grandma will be a good source of inspiration, but watching her push her falsies (click, slurp, click, slurp "How are you darling?" click, clickity-clack. SMASH! "Sorry gran. I din't mean to smash them against the wall, honest. My hand just got so annoyed it acted of its own accord.") around is not a pleasant sight. Wish me luck!**


	11. The Unforgivable Professor

**WHOOOOPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE, I'M BACK AT LAST, AND DESPITE THE JETLAG I'M UPDATING BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T WAIT...HAVE FUN, I'VE WRITTEN SEVEN CHAPTERS, BUT I WON'T UPDATE ALL ON THE SAME DAY. AT THE END OF THE CHAPTERS ARE NOTES THAT I WROTE DURING MY TRAVELS. BYE.**

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor), religeous references (minor, non suggestive)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 11: The Unforgivable Professor**

_He walked like a spider, with a scuttling grace,_

_Long of limb and a fearsome face._

_He glared like a hawk and when he would call,_

_The bravest of men would forget to stand tall._

_But friends, and even my foes, please,_

_Don't let him unnerve you, ignor his tease._

_Remember: not all is as it seems, _

_And he might just end up on one of our teams.

* * *

_

It was the last day of the week. Friday. Lily stifled a yawn, wiped the slobber off her cheek and followed her friends to their next lesson-Defence against the Dark Arts.

For Lily, the subject was quite intriguing. She had been told a few years back that ever since the year before she started Hogwarts Dumbledore had not been able to keep a Professor secure in the post for more than a year- that for some reason, it was cursed. Lily may be a witch, but she didn't believe such codswallop...obviously, the job was so boring or annoying or at least uncomfortable in some way, enough to make any person unable to stand being in the post more than a year.

Obviously.

She stumbled as her bag slipped down her shoulder and Lily paused a moment to juggle through Harry, a thick book and a hawks' tail quill to pull the strap up again. Harry-wisely- stayed still and silent as she cursed colourfully in her futile attempts. Finally, with a giant heave, the strap grudgingly resumed its original placement. She gave a snort, and Lily stomped after her wary looking mates. They lined outside the classroom, not particularly eager to see their teacher again.

Professor Glimby was, to be plain, a joke. Short and going to seed, his dirt coloured hair had been styled in a bowl cut (_ever so fashionable)_ , with a bald spot dead centre. He looked like a monk, walking around in his brown robes.

Plus, he didn't know his subject matter at all. It was always "read chapter five, students!" or "Miss Evans, do _you _know the answer?"

He said these things because he didn't know himself. Lily, along with her classmates, despaired of passing their NEWTS with this teacher.

Her heart sank as the door slid open to reveal...

The whole class gasped. It was not Professor Glimby at all. This man was unnaturally tall and thin. His hair was the colour of black shingles, eyes pale, almost lilac in colour. His face was long and gaunt, pale skin pulled over high cheek bones. His hands were the owners of the longest fingers Lily had ever seen, knobbly at the knuckles and calloused all over. Over the top of his right eyebrow was a thin scar, which ran down the side of his eye and down his cheek like a thin, white vine.

"Good day, class," he said softly in a raspy yet deep voice. "You may-" he gestured to the door "-come in."

The class, like frightened cockroaches, scuttled past him and soundlessly took their seats. Lily sat up the front, Harry on the desk in front of her.

Eyes protruding, the man came in, and sat on top of his desk, facing them. "I see you are wary of me. Good."

He stood up, and he locked eyes with, perhaps, every student in the class. "Last year, you had a teacher by the name of Professor Glimby, am I correct?"

The class nodded mutely.

"This teacher was incompetent. He did not teach you _anything._ And so, he is here no longer. It was only this morning that your headmaster managed to get hold of me. I am Professor Isaac Samuel Oucirus, and I am here to _teach you what you need to know."_

He glared at them all.

"Now, it is my belief that you are aware of recent events..."

The class, as a group, looked confused.

"YOU-KNOW-WHO, you incompetents!" He yelled, and they flinched. He took some cleansing breaths. "You-Know-Who happens to be the present dark lord," he drawled in a 'well duh' voice. "He is very powerful, and VERY immersed in the dark arts. Today I am going to be teaching you some of the darker forms of offence he uses...the Unforgivables. You should have learnt about them last year, but as I have said, you did not. So we learn them today."

He smiled, but it looked more like a grimace to Lily. "Now, can any of you name one of the Unforgivables?"

People raised their hands. Lily looked back at the class...and noticed all of the Marauders, for probably the first time in their school career, with their hands straight in the air. Oucirus noticed this too, and settled his eyes on Sirius Black. "Black, is it?"

Lily let a small frown appear on her face at the hidden sneer.

Sirius was not deterred however. "Yes, the Imperius curse."

There was no doubt- Oucirus was definitely smirking in a 'I know something' manner. "And..."

Sirius stared defiantly back at the man. "The Imperius curse gives the caster complete control over their victim. They can make them sing, dance, clean...or murder their loved ones. It's total control, but it can be fought."

Remus glanced at his friend, surprised at the depth of information. Oucirus was grinning cruelly now. "Impressive, what you know, Mr Black. Did some studying before coming to class, did we?"

Lily could see Sirius start to glare- evidently there was some veiled meaning behind the sneering.

"No, it's just stuff that we- and I need to know, during these times." Sirius answered.

"Yes, yes, quite. _You need to know, _Mr Black?" Oucirus taunted.

Sirius jumped to his feet, fists curling tight and a stormy expression of rage on his face. "How dare you!" He shouted.

"How dare I what, _Mr Black?_" Lily gazed at the Professor, finally understanding the drawling contempt the man spoke with to Sirius. Lily knew of the Black family reputation.

Sirius was being judged by his name.

Sirius walked tot he front, right up to the Professor. Discreetly, the Professor fingered the entrance to his pocket. "How dare you," Sirius lowered his voice, so that only people like Lily who were in the front row could catch what he said next. "Think you know me. How dare you think I know any more about the Dark Arts than my friends. Just because my family's dark, doesn't mean I am. I, Sirius Black of Gryffindor, am better than the snivelling low life of my family and Slytherins. I will never, I repeat, _never _get down on my knees in front of that monster. How dare you even let it cross your mind that I could."

And with that, Sirius turned around and stalked back to his seat. Oucirus eyed the dark haired young man. Slowly he turned to the rest of the class. "There are two Unforgivables left. Surely all those people didn't have the same information as Mr Black here."

Hands raised again.

"Yes..." Oucirus raised an eyebrow a dirty blond girl in the third row with large blue eyes and straggly hair.

"Crucio." She said simply. Oucirus waited for her to elaborate, but she did not.

Oucirus sighed in an exasperated fashion and faced the rest of the class. "Another one of You-Know-Who's favourites. The Cruciatus curse causes unfathomable pain, which can make the strongest of men start to either cry for his mother of beg for the release of death. If left under the curse's influence for to long, a person will be driven to insanity, but unfortunately for any bugger, the curse does not cause death," Oucirus ended this matter-of-fact recital with a tone of-Lily wasn't sure if she was delusional or not-sorrow.

A moment of silence ensued.

Then, Oucirus's head snapped up. "Well?" he snapped impatiently. "There's still one curse left!"

Hands raised, one of those shaky hands belonging to James Potter.  
"Potter?" Oucirus called. "Do you know the last Unforgivable?"

"Y-yes," James stammered. "The killing curse; Avada Kedavra. When cast, it produces a bright green light and it sounds as if...as if something is flying towards the victim, like wings." James shuddered. "There's no way of blocking it."

For a few tense moments, student and Professor kept their eyes locked. Finally Oucirus looked down. "Very good Potter. Ten points."

The Professor got up from his desk, moving like a long legged spider around the desk to open a drawer. He pulled out a fat, grey rat and placed it where the whole class could see it, on the front of his desk.

James and Sirius snickered, elbowing Remus and Peter (who was quite pink in the face) winking conspiratorially. People glared at them- this was not some kind of joke!

Oucirus pulled out his dark mahogany wand and pointed it at the rat. "Imperio!"

The rat perked up, sniffing the air. It turned and took a bouncing leap of the edge of the desk, landing in front of Lily. She shank back in disgust. It squeaked, and ran up Harry's arm and into his hair.

Then it started to dance.

Hop, step, hop. Twirl, step, step. Duck down, jump. The class started to giggle as it tap danced and did the salsa with a lock of Harry's black hair. Oucirus, however, was grim faced as he watched the mouse begin to break dance, spinning on its head. He reached into his drawer, wand still on the rat. People turned at a loud intake of breath from the Head Girl, some giving small shrieks as they saw what had made Lily gasp.

The cobra reared up, hissing agitatedly.

With the impact of a ship being hit by a iceberg, Lily remembered the events in the bathroom, when Harry had been revealed to be...her heart thumped painfully as if shouting "NO,NO!" She turned into her seat to see James's stiff-backed stance.

Harry turned to look at the snake, the thoughtful expression taking over his soft features. It was quite unnerving to watch, because babies are not usually able to be so concentrated and understanding, so the vision was unnatural. Lily wondered whether people would be offended if she started to pray.

She put her hands together. "Dear holy father in heaven, Budda, Ganeesh and Homer Simpson..."

Alice stared at Lily outright, alarmed.

The rat jumped off Harry's head, running to the edge of the desk and pirouetting across the gap onto Oucirus's desk, landing in front of the cobra. The snake opened its mouth, ready to strike.

"I am praying to you today, begging for forgiveness for all those times I said I didn't believe in you and begging you to save me from the horrible situation I happen to be in..."

Alice shifted across her seat, as if to get away from Lily. Lily seemed to have caught some weird new disease.

Lily opened her eyes to see if Harry had miraculously lost that look-but alas, he had opened his mouth. Lily, under the pretence of fear of the snake (ha, what a laughable thought, Lily afraid of rotten, dirty, slimy, hooked nosed-ahem- snakes), grabbed the havoc-causing infant and buried his head (and consequently his evil, problem causing parsel tongue speaking mouth) in the front of her robes. The rat, in a final suicidal act of defiance, raised onto its hind legs in mockery of the swaying snake.

The snake swayed back, about to strike, fans glistening.

Oucirus flicked his wand and the cursed rat jumped, straight into the jaws of the reptile. The cobra stopped swaying, dumbfounded at the stupidity of its prey, then upon the realising the moment might be lost, started to swallow.

Students gasped, shuddered and looked away from the engorged serpent. Oucirus ushered it back into his drawer and pulled out another rat, white this time. "That was what the effects of the Imperious curse looks like," he said clearly, eyeing the room in a sinisterly fashion. "I shall-" he held his wand aloft, "-continue."

Oucirus focused on the mouse. "Crucio."

The creature started to shake. It trembled, keeling over, twitching and curling up, as if trying to escape from something.

But it was the screaming that horrified Lily the most.

She had never known rats to scream, or any other animal for that matter, but this rodents was - without doubt - screaming. The high pitched cry was grating on her ears and nerves. She held Harry tighter, treating him like an over-sized stress ball. She couldn't stand it. What had the rat ever done to deserve this?

"STOP IT! STOP IT! CAN"T YOU SEE YOU'RE HURTING IT!" She yelled at Oucirus.

The Professor looked up, somewhat surprised, the curse being lifted in his distraction. The mammal twitched feebly, struggling to get to its feet. It looked up dazedly, almost surveying Lily in a thankful way. Surely not.

Oucirus looked away from Lily, across to the back of the room to share a look with James Potter. James nodded discreetly, understanding in some weird way what the pale eyes were searching for.

Oucirus pointed his wand at the quivering rat, eyes narrowing. "Avada Kedavra!"

Green light, so familiar to at least three of the class and the swooping sound, like a bird taking flight and gracefully flying was experienced...then the rat, with a surprised squeak, collapsed.

Dead.

Lily couldn't help but feel stupid as she managed to wipe away her tears without being seen on Harry's head.

Oucirus glared at them all, back to his original stance. "Homework, ten inches on what you saw today, due next lesson on Monday. Good day." He waved his hand in dismissal and people scrambled to pack and leave. Lily clutched Harry and slipped out the door, right after Remus Lupin, walking on the opposite side of the corridor to the foursome towards Gryffindor Tower.

Sirius thumped Peter on the back. "Don't worry mate, I bet no one would even want to bother doing that to you! But did you see it jump? Right into the mouth! Idiot!" Sirius gave a barking laugh.

Lily puffed herself up indignantly and turned to them, ready to chastise.

James however did not look impressed with his friend either. "It's not funny Sirius. Besides, who was all mad at Oucirus?"

Sirius went red, halting. "Why you..."

James made a cutting motion with his hand. "Mate, I know. But joking about it- anything like that really...well, sometimes it just doesn't fit, you know?"

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Why so deep James? You've changed a lot over the holidays."

"I'm not being _deep,_" James snarled scornfully. "But I've grown up." James looked away. The group started moving again.

Sirius put a hand on James's shoulder. "What is it? Something's happened, James. I know you. Is it home? Family? Lily? Hell, is it that baby, Harry? You're not still on about him being an orphan are you? You know nothing can change that."

Lily decided to lay low, making sure not to make any noises.

A slight pink tinge appeared on James's cheeks. "It's just- it was difficult. Standing there. Guys...I saw it happen. Me and Lily-We watched Harry's memory of them...getting killed. And Voldemort he-he-" James looked up, as if to escape facing his friends, and saw Lily standing.

He knew she had heard what they had said.

"Lily..."

* * *

**A/n: I wrote this chapter on the car ride to my aunts' so be happy. I've already spent two days with the demented grandmother (she talks to herself) and am not keen to go back. I attempted to write on the 22 hours of flight Sydney-Hong Kong-London, but alas I cannot hear myself think (or imagine wonderfully creative plots) over the sounds of four engines roaring. I await eagerly for a time when I get internet access. Oh yeah, this is partly a Lily James romance (um, duh? They get married, and Harry's there!)**

**Sorry for the praying part for anyone who is sensitive to that matter-I don't mean anything about it and know it is not really my place to use it but...send me to hell, forget to reincarnate me and deprive me of Krispy Kreme donuts.**

**Please note Professor Isaac Samuel Oucirus's name very closely. The bible references in his name might be important, they might not. His initals are important and one of the names scrambled makes a word that...I'll leave you kiddies to have fun. As always, theories are welcome. AND SUGGESTIONS AND REVIEWS!**


	12. Cursed

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 12: Cursed**

_Listen up you young 'uns, raise your arm up high_

_Who cares if you forgot your comb and hair tie?_

_Lick your lips and smirk, we have to prepare_

_Duelling now, no kiddie time it isn't, we don't play fair!_

_Keep an eye out for hidden powers heading your way;_

_Today heralds the end of the peace of your day.

* * *

_

One week had passed since Lily had hurtled down the corridor, James running after her. A screaming match had ensued (what else, people had told each other) which ended with apologies and a mutual agreement to get on better in future (the people then scoffed and made mental notes to buy some ear plugs).

Last night had been the first time, since his arrival, that Harry had not yelled himself hoarse during the moonlight hours, making the Gryffindor boys rather joyful in disposition. Usually the little black haired infant would wake the inhabitants of the dorm at about one in the morning, always, always clutching his scar. James had joked that they take him to Madam Pomfrey for a cure- for what he was not sure...bad dreams? the scar? being an orphan? He knew there was no cure for the last one.

James shifted Harry, waiting for Professor Oucirus to come.

"Two weeks of term, gone already," Sirius sighed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed behind his head, oblivious to a bunch of girls watching him with doe-eyed expressions. "Finally."

The girls giggled.

"Sirius, put your arms down," Remus said. "You're gonna make one of your fan club wet their panties."

Sirius looked roguishly over at the girls, and waved. The group scrambled to hide their pink faces behind their friends, giggling the whole time. James poked Sirius in the ribs, which made the teen immediately drop his arms from behind his head. "Hey!" he whined. "Not all of us have dates with our sweet hearts, abandoning their best friend into bachelorhood!" He glared good-naturedly at James.

"Shove off," James growled, grinning. He turned to see a head of red hair, and his grin grew wider still. "And plus, it's impossible for you to remain a bachelor Sirius. You could be Voldemort himself and you'd still have suitors."

"Oh, get over it!" Sirius said, snatching Harry. He bounced the boy, then raised Harry so that his head was next to James's. "See the resemblance?"

"You know I don't have any relation to him," James said. "Potter's not an unusual name, and black hair is the dominant gene. I'm plain and ordinary, I am."

Remus's head cocked to the side. "You know that's not true James."

"Yeah," James turned to look at his friends again. "I know. I'm Super Potter!" His friends laughed, shaking their heads.

The door opened with a theatrical _creeeeak._ Oucirus stepped out. "You may-" he began in his usual raspy welcome "-come in."

Sirius dumped Harry in James's arms, leaping into the room like an over excited puppy. "I can't see what he's so excited about," Peter whined, following. The boys took their normal places in the back row, pulling out their quills. Oucirus, seeing this, barked "Put those away! This is practical today!" James and Sirius shared a beaming smile. Harry gurgled.

"Now-" Oucirus banished the desks to the sides of the room, leaving a wide open space. People placed their bags down on the edges of the room, creeping nervously like frightened deer onto a meadow, into the centre of the room. "Today is a lesson which I don't want you to be stupid in. If you're going to act like headless Hippogriffs, then leave." The door opened with a flick of his wand. People kept their eyes on him, not moving. "Good. Now, today...will be a duelling class. I want to see how good you are at duelling."

Gasps and grins were shared around the group of teens. Girls started to play with their hair, complaining they had forgotten hair ties, several boys crossed their arms trying to look tough...and a group of Slytherins polished their wands, smirking. "SHUT UP!" Oucirus yelled. Everyone stopped their activities at once. "To the edges of the room! Now you- Dolohov and Patil! Your turn first!"

The two boys, a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw, moved to the middle of the room whilst the other class members made themselves comfortable on top of the desks to watch.

"I'm not going to help you. First one to be disarm their opponent wins, and goes forward to the next round. No Unforgivables or grade A or B dark magic. Begin!"

Patil, the Ravenclaw raised his wand, glaring at his opponent. Dolohov smirked, raising his own. They moved away from each other.

"One. Two. Three!" Oucirus said.

"Expelliarmus!" Dolohov shouted.

"Protageo!"

And so it continued, until Patil lost his wand. He sat down on the side of the room deemed 'The Loser Side' with an angry grunt, whilst Dolohov sat opposite him, smiling smugly. The pairs kept getting chosen, Peter losing spectacularly to a Hufflepuff girl with plaits and Remus beating a Ravenclaw by the name of Chang.

"Evans, Zeller!"

Lily and another Ravenclaw boy stood. they faced each other. The fight was over almost too quickly, Lily beating her opponent easily. With a flouncing grace she breezed over to join Alice, who had also won her duelling match. The girls high fived, sitting and facing the rest of the room to watch the next pair.

"Black, Lestrange!"

Sirius's grin vanished and he stood grimly. He moved, eyeing the other boy.

"One, two...three!"

Sirius flicked his wand and a chair behind Lestrange transformed into a Labrador. James smirked. The dog opened its jaws, charging at the Slytherin. "Stupefy," Lestrange said lazily, and the dog keeled over, back into chair form. He turned back to Sirius, to find the boy gone. "Conjunctivare!" Sirius ducked the curse, throwing a stunner.

Lestrange sidestepped the beam of red light. "Petrificus Totalus."

Jumping to the side, Sirius taunted "Oh, lost your touch, Lestrange! Only little kiddie curses from you, I see!"

An angry ball of violet light darted to Sirius. Oucirus yelled "LESTRANGE!" The boy gave a bashful look, and turned back to the duel.

Across the room from James sat a Slytherin with greasy dark hair and a hooked nose. Unnoticed by all but his cronies, he pulled out his wand, training it on his target opposite him. Harry shifted in James's lap, whose eyes were planted firmly on the scene in front of him. Unperceivable to all, Snape whispered.

"STUPEFY!" Yelled Sirius.

Lestrange crumpled to the floor, beaten. Sirius took his place on the 'winners side' smugly.

"Potter and...Snape," Oucirus said, almost unsure of his decision. James got up, Peter who had edged over to sit with him, taking Harry.

Snape however, did not. His eyes were still locked ahead of him, almost glazed.

Suddenly Harry began to scream. Peter dropped him in surprise. James dived, but missed, watching as Harry, almost in slow motion, fell downwards.

Harry never landed.

* * *

**A/N: Aha, cliff hanger! Guys (and girls) can you please give theories on what curse Snape used, on who? It's probably either the first or the last person you suspect! **

**Wrote this chapter going a little place called Fleckney and I know it's short. But at first it was even shorter- only one page. (I thought I was supposed to do short chapters anyway, oh well). I know I'm not being very funny...saving it for the date (what could possibly go wrong shall, plus some things that can't go wrong) :P**

**I made up the grade A and B classified dark curses... since in the books, Unforgivables are the _most_ penalised curses, not the only.**


	13. I'll Catch You If You Tumble

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 13: I'll Catch You If You Tumble**

_If you tumble I'll be waiting below,_

_I'll catch you, because I can't let you go._

_Maybe I love you, maybe I don't,_

_But if you toss me like rubbish I definitely won't._

_But just be there for me and I'll be there too,_

_Because I'd do anything, anything, for you.

* * *

_

Harry was falling, down, down towards the hard flagstone floor.

Then, as if caught in an updraft, he stopped and his descent was reversed, until he came to a halt five feet in the air. James got to his feet, glowering at Peter. "What you do that for? You could of killed him, he's only an infant!"

Peter stuttered, face turning red, spluttering an apology.

Harry drifted across the room into Oucirus's arms. The man, so hardened in appearance, seemed to soften once Harry was rested gently into his arms. The thin, gaunt face peered down onto the round one, pale eyes meeting emerald green. One long, knobbly finger brushed away a stray lock of hair. Oucirus looked up, startled.

"Forgive me for asking, but why exactly is this boy here at Hogwarts in your care? Dumbledore was most vague on the details."

"Oh, his parents were killed by You-Know-Who and Dumbledore hasn't found him a place to stay," James answered carelessly.

The bony finger traced. "When did he get this scar, do you know?"

"He was bleeding when he arrived," Lily spoke up. "Is it important?"

Oucirus gestured for people to gather around him. People peeked at Harry, jostling each other for a better look. Pointing to the scar, Oucirus said "if I'm not mistaken, which I rarely am, that is a curse scar."

"But how do you know?" Snape sneered, making sure he got a good look at the scar.

Oucirus pointed his wand at the scar. "Like this." Stars erupted from his wand, settling over Harry's body. Most were white, but there was a blue patch around Harry's crotch ("That'll be an enchanted diaper, that should be,").

But on his forehead it was a different matter. A formation of stars, a lightening bolt just like the scar, hovered. the stars shone bright green. Red stars seemed to hover at the edge, as if trying to push the green ones away.

Oucirus's already pale and drawn face lost all colour. With a sweeping gesture he made the stars disappear, standing up. "Class dismissed," he said in a low voice. "Out, now...except you two," as he pointed to Lily and James.

Grumbling the class left, Peter glancing furtively behind him as he shut the door. Oucirus sat down again.

"What happened?" Oucirus asked, just above a whisper. "What happened...to this baby?"

He seemed most agitated. James, not ready to test his wrath answered, "His parents got murdered by Voldemort and somehow he appeared on the train, right into Lily's arms in a red glow. He was bleeding from that-"James pointed to the cut "-but it could have been from anything right? Why was it shining green?"

Oucirus took some calming breaths, looking up. "I've only seen those stars- the green ones- on people who have died...people who have been hit but Avada Kedavra."

James felt very numb. "That's impossible. He-" James touched Harry's chest, which rose and fell, gently, "-can't have survived it. Nobody can, it's a mistake...it has to be."

Oucirus stood. "But that's not all. Those red stars, I've never seen those. They looked a lot like...an ancient magick. Only problem is, nobody these days has any idea how to perform those spells, since we have better and more efficient enchantments these days."

"but...but..." Lily was lost for words. "That's absurd."

Oucirus gave them a look. "Maybe it is. But I'd prefer if you told no-one, not even your closest friends-" he looked meaningfully at James, "-about this. I'm going to..."

What exactly he was going to do was lost on James and Lily, as at that moment, Oucirus jumped back. A trickle of something was running down his trousers, dripping onto the floor. Lily rounded on James. "When did you last change him?" she hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Uh..."James blushed. "I haven't, all day."

Oucirus pushed the baby with a leaking nappy into James's arms. James winced as he felt something warm and wet stain the front of his shirt. "Just...leave..." Oucirus was breathing heavily.

The two scampered out. It was only when they got to the end of the corridor that they slowed to a walk. They looked at each other.

Ten minutes later a first year boy turned down the corridor to see two seventh years (who he was sure were the head boy and girl) falling about each other, clutching their sides and laughing helplessly. He stood there, quite unsure of himself. Then Lily spotted him, tugging at James. Upon seeing the boy's expression, James started to giggle harder, and Lily once again joined him.

The little red haired boy backed away slowly- best not to frighten the freaks, they might attack.

Lily finally got hold of herself, dragging James onwards and into the Great Hall.

Dumbledore spared a glance as they passed the Ravenclaw table, then continued with his conversation with Professor Oucirus, nodding politely every so often.

Lily pulled James into the seat next to her and started to pile treacle tart (they had missed the main course) onto his plate. He turned to her, startled. "How'd you know I like it?"

Lily busied herself with the mud cake. "Oh, you know...weird things you pick up about class mates. Just like you've noticed Snape doesn't wash his hair."

James automatically went into defensive mode. "Well, he doesn't!"

Lily rolled her eyes, finally looking at him. "Yes, but we all know that, thanks to you. Don't you think it's a bit old...not to mention immature?"

James was silent for a moment. "At least I'm not forgetting to have fun."

Lily snorted. "Fun? How does causing misery to another human being classify as fun?" She poked him in the chest. "You always say that you're against cruelty, Voldemort and the dark arts. But you know what, Potter? You're no better than him. You're no better than Snape, or Voldemort. Because _you are cruel _Potter."

She turned back to her mud cake slice. Suddenly James didn't feel so hungry. How could they go from one moment laughing, to the next fighting?

then she spoke again. "And another thing I don't like is when you do that."

"Do what?"

"_That._ Going all silent. It never fixes anything Potter, if you don't confront the problem. So tell me, why do you do what you do?"

"Huh?"

She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Boys".

"Hey!" James cried. "Lily, do you _like _being angry with me? Coz you always are," James tugged at her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him. "I don't get it Lily. I don't get _you. _I like you..."

"I'm not stupid Potter!"

"-But you never give me a chance. Tomorrow we're supposed to be going to Hogsmeade together, and you've started up a fight with me! You're never pleased with me. What am I doing wrong?"

She glared at him. "Wrong? I've been telling you for years!"

"When was the last time I strung up Snape by his ankle?"

Lily spluttered. Truth was, he hadn't done it for a while now. A long time. "That's-not the point Potter..."

"Aw, come on Lily!" James growled.

People were starting to look curiously at them.

Lily got up, storming from the Hall. Not caring how he was going to be teased later on, James followed her- leaving Harry in Sirius arms as he passed his friend, catching up to her halfway up the marble steps. "Just tell me Lily!"

She struggled, then feel limp. "Ok." she looked at him- there was quite a height difference between them, so she had to angle her head. "I'll tell you why I never went out with you. Barring you being an arrogant git, which you still are and I can't stand."

James hide the hurt of those words deep inside of himself.

"Because I _couldn't _go out with you Potter."

"Excuse me?"

Lily looked down. James did not release her arm. "Because...well, ever since you got...interested in me, everyone started saying it was inevitable that I would fall for you. Like every other girl. I don't want to be like everyone else Potter. And if achieving that meant resisting you...it was almost too easy."

James put his other hand on Lily's other arm. "Lily...gosh. I thought you were beyond that, caring what other people think. You don't let them affect you."

"I'm not untouchable Potter. Now let me go!" Lily tore herself from James's grasp- and he lost balance. For a second he teetered on the marble step, Lily watching with wide green eyes, and then he was falling, backwards, and down the hard steps, tumbling down two flights until he came to a rolling stop in the Entrance Hall. Lily ran down the stairs, kneeling beside him and apologising profusely. She helped him up, and he stood, rubbing his bottom.

"I'm so, so, so, so, soooo sorry," Lily said.

She was more concerned about James than he was. He gave her a slightly pained smile. "I'm fine Lily, really. Just promise not to do that when we get married."

He disappeared up the marble steps, leaving Lily to chase after him, growling in anger and spluttering with indignation. James ducked into a hidden passage way, and Lily followed.

"Err, I don't think this is the way."

James halted, smacking his head. "Oops, forgot you were here."

"Forgot I was here!" Lily shrieked.

"Well, not you, exactly, just the fact I wasn't supposed to go in here with you in tow. I could never forget you."

"You're incorrigible Potter, you really are!" Lily steamed, glancing around the dark passageway. "Where are we?"

"Right where I want you," James said seriously, but Lily could seehim smiling at her as he turned to face her.

He was getting closer to her.

Much to close.

"Just tell me where I am. I can't stand not knowing!"

"You're too uptight Lily," James said.

He was almost touching her.

She stepped back. And her back hit a wall, and she gave a small "oof." Then she realised... the passageway had closed. She was trapped. With Potter. In the semi darkness.

What else could she do? She closed her eyes and started to scream.

It was caught short by something warm pressed up against her lips, in fact, all of her.

With a gulp she realised that not only was James Potter kissing her, was that she was kissing _him._

"Yes!" came a voice, and the pair sprung apart. The flash of the bulb died, but Lily could still see a gleeful Sirius Black holding in one arm little Harry... and in the other, a smoking camera. "You forgot this." He handed Harry to James, then disappeared though a door which was pretending to be a wall.

Lily followed Sirius, but just as she was about to leave, she turned back to the shell-shocked James. "Don't forget, We're going to Hogsmeade at ten."

This time, it was James who was left behind, gaping like a fish at the place where Lily Evans had stood.

* * *

**A/n: Hey peeps! I'm in Scotland (on the Isle of Skye) at the moment, and can I say to any Scottish people: Your weather is SO wet! It has not stopped raining! It's spring or summer, and I'm wearing my jacket. Queer.**

**Enough about the weather... the date...I'm so excited! I've nothing better to do but write it!**

**What did you think of their first kissing scene?(The table one doesn't count) I couldn't help adding the camera...**


	14. Hogsmeade

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 14: Hogsmeade**

_I'll take you on a journey, over the hills,_

_Past forests and lakes, to the shops with tills._

_I'll show you wonders, what you've never seen,_

_We'll go places, on adventures you've never been._

_At the end of the line I'll hold your hand close,_

_I'll tell you are the one that I love most.

* * *

_

James got up at six the next morning, which was extremely early for him. He got dressed (he tried on three sets of clothing before settling on a pair of jeans and a sweater- he didn't want to look as if he'd actually made an _effort _to get dressed for Lily...) to the snores of his dorm-mates, picked up a sleeping Harry and proceeded to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Breakfast hadn't even started. Obviously the house elves were used to the students waking up late on weekends.

James sat at the bare Gryffindor table, realising just how big the hall was. Nobody was there, he was all alone.

He groaned, stalking out. He couldn't stand be in there. He opened the great oak doors and walked down the stairs into the grounds. His feet were given free rein and they took him around the lake. He watched as the tentacles of the giant squid flopped about lazily in the early morning rays. Harry slept on.

James chanced a look at his watch. His eyes grew in disbelief.

9:48am

He had twelve minutes to walk around the lake!

He set off at a sprint, skidding into the Entrance wall just as they were opened by Filch the caretaker, who was checking notes. He found an annoyed looking Lily near the end of the line, and joined her. "Sorry," he gasped through his stitch. "Lost track of...time."

She ignored him, handing his and her note to Filch. The caretaker looked very forlorn when they appeared to be perfectly in order. He waved them through grumpily and they set off at a comfortable pace towards the gates.

James was surprised how easy it was to talk to Lily, considering. Sure, they mostly talked about Harry and schoolwork, but James thought he would be comfortable talking about the colour of faeces if it meant spending more time with Lily. Her beautiful red hair was out, rolling down her back, neither straight nor curly, but a sort of satisfying wavy texture. He longed to touch it. Lily took possession of Harry, since it was her turn to look after him for the day, and before they knew it, they were on the outskirts of the village of Hogsmeade.

Instantly James felt awkward. He had been so occupied with actually getting there, and fantasising (although he would never admit it, he had forgotten all about Harry and fantasised about the pair of them holed up somewhere, kissing the whole day...he is a boy, after all) that he hadn't planned what they _would _do when they got there.

"Erm..."

"How about Honeydukes?" Lily said brightly. James grinned. This was too easy!

They spent a good while in the sweet shop, and James found Lily loved vanilla fudge, all types of chocolate ( she actually asked him to hold her back as they walked past the gourmet chocolate section, and he could feel her resisting- he wasn't sure if she was serious or joking, but didn't think it polite to ask) and had a 'sweet' tooth for sour candy. James got his customary sugar quills, _Bertie Bott's_ every flavour beans ( he loves the risks) and some cockroach cluster (Lily raised her eyebrows, but did not ask) and they left the shop into the sunshiny day.

"Can we _please _go to Zonko's?" James begged.

Lily sighed, rolled her eyes...and dragged him in. He headed for the back of the shop, disappearing behind a curtain. Lily hung back. "James?"

He popped his head through the velvet curtains. "Sorry, come on. This is the best part of the shop!"

In the back of the shop it looked sort of like a warehouse- there were work benches, boxes and shelves upon shelves of products. But on a squashy armchair sat a man.

Lily knew at once that this must be Zonko himself. He was rather jolly looking, with a rotund stomach and laugher lines all over his face. His nose what rather bulbous, but his eyes were friendly. "Oh, James!" he said. "Who's the lovely lady?"

Lily blushed as introductions were made.

"So..." said Zonko. "What'll you be needing?"

"Have you got anymore of that ink left over?" James's voice had dropped low.

Zonko frowned a bit. "Hmmm...you sure you won't tell me what it's for?"

"Ahh...but that'd be telling, wouldn't it?" said James with a good-natured smile. "A good magician never tells his secrets."

Zonko snorted and disappeared behind some shelves, ruffling about. Finally he came back, holding up a small glass bottle of black powder. "Remember the instructions?"

James nodded, taking the bottle as if it were a god-like gift. Zonko, however was not done. With a flourish that only a shop keeper of many years could produce, he whipped something from behind his back, saying, "This is just in, this morning, have a look!"

It was a blank piece of parchment. The pair looked at Zonko with scepticism. Zonko saw this. "It looks ordinary to you. But to Muggles..."

James leaned forwards eagerly. "Yes?"

"This blank piece of paper will show them what you need them to see- tickets, passes, ID, invitations, excuses, _anything._"

Lily leaned forwards also. "How much?" James asked excitedly.

"Ten galleons."

Two mouths dropped open. Harry stuck his fingers into Lily's open jaw, and she shut it. "_Ten Galleons?"_

Zonko huffed. "That's cheap! Think about it, this could save you thousands of galleons in the muggle world...you could get onto those giant metal birds-"

"Aeroplanes," Lily corrected.

"-yes, air pains, which I've heard is really expensive...and these are enchanted not to rip, they're water-proof...but they're only available for wizards who are of age- don't want some second year sauntering into muggle pubs..."

"I'll have one," James said quickly, not wanting to get Zonko in a bad mood. He pulled out his money bag and deposited the large sum into Zonko's hand. Zonko pocketed it, and smiled.

"Can I roam?- need to show this girl the ropes!" James asked, happy the business had been dealt with.

Zonko laughed, moving to the curtains. "Just don't steal anything, Potter!"

James waved him off, beckoning to Lily. " You know I would never Zonko. Come on."

Lily was amazed at what she had missed all these years. But she was also slightly preoccupied as they passed the _Bill's Big Bouncing Balloons for Wild Water Wars. _

You see, she had noticed Potter's money bag. A small part of her waggled it's (metaphorical) finger at her for thinking such thoughts.

He had so much money! That bag was about to burst it's seams! Add the fact that Lily got only twenty galleons spending money a year (not very much if you include Christmas shopping)...

Finally Lily bored of looking at _Penny's Pillows_ (which were pillows which would bash people of their own accord, perfect for pillow fights) and let Harry blow a bubble in James's ear to remind him that they had actually come to go to the Three Broomsticks. They exited the shops, Zonko waving them out, and proceeded to the pub and taking a small secluded table away from the crowds, Lily making herself comfortable as James went to get Butterbeers.

Once they were all seated and content, Lily started to feel awkward and out of place. What to say?

James whistled.

"Could you stop?' Lily said tentatively. James looked at her, the tune dying away. Lily suddenly wished he would start again.

James's hands were sweating. He wiped them on his pants. "So...Harry didn't scream last night..."

"That's good."

"Yeah." James's insides squirmed.

He looked at Lily. A rare ray of sunshine shifted through the window, alighting on her face and setting the highlights in her hair off, making them shine brilliantly. James was reminded, painfully, once again, why he liked her so much. Her hand lay slack on the table next to her Butterbeer. Should he hold it? His view turned to Harry. The kid was, in a way, the person who James should be thanking- if not for Harry, James had no doubt that he and Lily would not be at this table together.

Another's child bringing them together. It was romantic, in a twisted sense of logic.

"Lily..." he exhaled. She turned her beautiful eyes to him, with an enquiring look.

His fingers gave a half-hearted twitch. Lily looked down at her hands. "I can't stop thinking about it," she said.

"It?" James echoed hopefully.

"Yeah...the light, and how...just died. I mean, I saw it in Oucirus's class but you...you saw it happen to _people._ It must have been horrible... I just don't know how you cope."

James's insides stopped squirming, and retreated o his spine, shivering. To be honest, he'd forgotten all about the memory. He had other things to think about. "Uh, well... you just sorta...have too, right?"

"Right," Lily mumbled. She dropped one of hands in her lap, leaving the other alone and tempting on the table between them. James wasn't sure if he dared...

He grasped it firmly in his. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

Lily squeezed his hand, looking with wonderment at their joined fingers. "I wonder what'll happen to him. He can't stay with us forever."

"Dumbledore will find the way. He always does," James said confidently. But a thought niggled at him: Dumbledore hadn't really done anything yet, except for giving tiny clues. Infuriatingly, the man was not doing what James always expected him to do.

Lily has very nice hands, James thought, as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her knuckles.

"Um, James?"

"Hmmm?" he answered, still watching his thumb's progress.

"Why did you kiss me? You've done it twice this year, without even asking me beforehand."

"DO people usually ask before they kiss each other?"

"Well, no, but...it's not as if you had any right to do it."

"I can't help it Lily. Every time I see you I think I'm going to...explode, or something. And sometimes it just- and I can't help it... I've said it before, I-"

"-like me, I know.

"No Lily," James said as he looked up into her eyes and smiling." I love you, and no matter what you feel, think or say, I'm never going to stop." James said the next phrase as if shocked. "I love you, Lily Evans."

Lily wondered why this stray and completely irrelevant thought had to cross her mind at this moment: _I love you too, chocolate bar.

* * *

_

**A/n: Still in Scotland. The sun has come out for a couple of hours this evening (yes, evening) but I preferred to write for you all instead. I'm beating myself up because Harry action has been most absent through the past chapters, but I'm planning something for the next chapter. LILY DOES NOT THINK JAMES IS A CHOCOLATE BAR, FREAKS! I have plans for the super parchment (and yes, I got the idea off Dr Who, it's all his) and the ink, for your information is a special ink for the Marauder's Map, because James needs to…_to be continued_. I've just realised that I've used fourteen chapters to cover thirteen (ok, actually six have been included and written about, but still ALOT) days... **

**At the rate I'm going, I'll have twenty chapters to feed you when I get back! (Gosh, I hope not, that'll mean I'm nineteen chapters ahead of everyone else, since I refuse to update them all on the same day or on the day after a chapter has been uploaded...must give people time to read-and that WAS an exaggeration guys!).**

**I shall continue to write. I look forward to more mist tomorrow.**


	15. The Child In The Doorway

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 15: The Child in the Doorway**

_You trick me and curse me, you lead me astray,_

_But when I need you, you show me the way._

_All I want is to be close and safe in your arms,_

_'Coz I know you'll save me from all harms._

_But soon we'll have to realise it's not about us anymore,_

_It's about that child in the future door.

* * *

_

"Err..." said Lily. "That's um, nice."

James's face fell.

"Why don't we um...go and look at...err, the Shrieking Shack?" Lily suggested, trying vainly to hide her embarrassment; she did not notice James hiding himself behind a napkin, the top of his head that peaked over the top the colour of red wine. He squeaked in response and the two stood up, both ignoring each other. Harry giggled insanely at their mortification, and Lily put a hand over his mouth. He licked her palm.

"Yuck!" she cried, pulling her hand away as they exited the pub.

James struck out for the Shrieking Shack, back to Lily and she fought to keep up. It did not take long for them to get there.

If Lily was to be honest with herself, she'd say she was terrified of the haunted building. But as a Gryffindor, all her fears would be immediately smothered in chocolate and eaten for desert upon being discovered. "It's quiet," she noted. James grinned. "What ever is so funny?" Lily demanded.

James looked away. "Tell me," Lily said impatiently. He didn't say a word, gazing at the Shack, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Please?" She sounded hopeful. He shook his head. "Fine," Lily growled, stomping her foot. "If you don't tell me, you have to...go into the Shrieking Shack." She was very pleased at the ingenuity of this plan of hers. Nobody would go into the Shrieking Shack except...

James started to laugh out loud. "Ok, but you have to come as well."

"Oh," Lily said quickly, "no, it doesn't really...I mean if it going to be..."

"Are you scared?" asked James slyly.

Lily drew herself up to her full hight. "I am not scared," she said. "You offend me!"

"What are we waiting for then?" James asked, grinning still.

Lily couldn't stand to look at those white, sparkling teeth anymore. She stomped towards the building, passing the **DANGER, DO NOT PASS** notices without batting an eyelid, Harry squirming in her arms. Lily might be a stupid Gryffindor, but Harry had enough brains to know he _did not_ want to go in that building. And when young 'uns like Harry don't want something they...

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Not _again!_" Lily groaned, hoisting Harry up to eye level as she neared the building, James in his rightful place (at her heels). "What could it be now?"

Lily sniffed. "Not that, thank goodness," she sighed gratefully. Harry was lowered, still kicking. "And I'm not feeding you," she said to his reproachful look, "You're getting...round."

Harry gave her a look that said '_of course I'm round, I am sixteen months old, plus I've been with you.'_

Lily left Harry to his business, looking up at the building in front of her. She shivered. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea. James hopped past her, mouth still stretched impossibly wide. He didn't look the least bit apprehensive...in fact, he had a look that a person often wears when a joke is being played. Lily glanced around her, expecting, even hoping that one of James's freinds was nearby, ready to play a trick on her...but nobody was there. James snorted one last time, and slipped around the back of the building.

He gestured to the planks blocking entry (and exit, Lily reminded herself) with a knowing smile, pulling out his wand. He pointed the tip towards the planks covering a window. A light, ghostly and thin seemed to struggle from his wand, reluctantly creeping through the air and resting on the planks. The planks melted away, and James crawled inside, his arms sticking out again for Harry. Lily passed the boy into the hands, and stuck a leg inside, her heart thumping, her stomach churning and her brain shouting at her to stay away. She went in.

Immediately she was plunged into darkness. Lily turned to the window, sure that some sunlight would be coming through. The planks remained in their place, as if they'd never strayed. Lily gasped.

"It's ok, there are other ways out," said James's voice. "Lumos," a small ball of light surrounded the pair. "That's better."

"But...but-the planks where'd they...?"

"It's an old charm," James explained. "It only works one way...we could get in, but nothing can get out. A precaution, if you like." Lily could see his grin in the shine of his wand. The sight only made her more scared.

"You've been here before," she stated.

James turned. "Yeah...come on, let's explore."

"What!" Lily shouted. "You said I only have to come in, and we've done that, so let's-"

"-are you scared?"

"Never!" Lily forced a laugh. "Me, scared? In your dreams, Potter!" But she still let him lead the way, and found herself clutching his back.

Lily looked around her. It looked as if they were in the dining room, if the overturned table and the ripped up chairs were anything to go by. "Hang on," Lily whispered. "Ghosts can't move things...is it a poltergeist that haunts here?"

James was silent. "James?" Lily whispered fearfully as they left the room and ended up in the hallway. "Can you speak to me? James?"

He continued to say nothing. "James!" Lily whispered, panic lacing her words.

"Will you stop harking on?" James said, not whispering. "Ah...the stairs!"

Lily got the feeling that he had said these words for her benefit. "Up then?" James asked, finally glancing her way. Harry was still sitting in his arms, looking rather put out by the whole affair. Lily cringed. "Great!"

Lily made a small noise in her throat and followed him up the stairs, grimacing at every squeak and groan. Finally they reached the top and crept along the corridor, peering through the doorways (all the doors were either hanging off by their hinges or missing) into the rooms beyond, all of which seemed to be affected by a small hurricane. James seemed to be heading for the door at the end of the corridor however. This seemed to be the only room with a door, and he pushed it open.

Lily was sure even Dumbledore in his office up at the castle could have heard it creak, it was so loud. Their feet patted across the floorboards, and then they were in.

"It's a bedroom," Lily said with slight disappointment. "Just a bedroom." James nodded once, stuffed Harry into her arms and leapt onto the bed, bouncing three times before lying down, cheek resting on his cupped hand, looking like a model.

"Care to join me?" he said in a suggestive tone.

"No," Lily said grumpily. "Now you will tell me what was so funny!"

His mouth opened, and Lily felt herself preparing, muscles stiffening and taunt for the answer.

"Mummy?"

Lily turned, her head swinging to the door. No one was there. But she had heard.

"Mummy, is that you?"

James slid off the bed and stood at Lily's shoulder, frowning and eyes wide.

Lily could hear footsteps out in the corridor, getting closer.

_Thump. Creak. Thud, thud thud._

Whoever it was stopped on the other side of the door. Lily could see her breath billowing into steam in front of her, despite it still being September. She shivered in the sudden cold, and moved closer to James, holding Harry close to herself.

From the other side of the door came a child's whisper, half frightened, half curious. "Are you my mummy?"

Lily couldn't explain it, but those words chilled her to the bone. They were so..._lonely._

The door swung open with a bang. A little boy, who could be no older than six years old stood in the doorway. His face was a mess- he had a black eye, a cut across one cheek and a bleeding nose, the red shining as it trickled down past his mouth.

And despite being in full colour, he was transparent.

"Is he...a ghost? A poltergeist?" Lily whispered feverishly to James.

"I can hear you," said the boy. "I'm not a ghost! I'm real. You're the ghost-you're see-fru!"

"No-" Lily began, but James put a hand on her arm.

"Who are you?" James said, crouching down to the boy's level. "You're hurt, do you need help?"

Lily was about to say how stupid it was to ask a ghost if they need help when the boy answered.

"No, I'm fine, my auntie will help me when I get home. She doesn't like mess."

"Where is your auntie?" James asked kindly.

"I don't know," said the boy regretfully. "And I fink I might be dreaming, coz last thing I remember was running home from school."

"Running?" repeated Lily warily.

The boy bit his lip, which Lily realised was also bleeding. "From my cousin, he doesn't like me. Nobody likes me."

"I'm sure somebody likes you-"Lily said, crouching next to James.

"-no, but I don't mind. You know, I fought I saw my mummy just then, but it was only you. My mummy's dead."

Lily put a hand to her mouth. James didn't show any sign of sympathy. "Have a seat. Now, can I ask you a very special question? Are you a wizard?"

The boy gently sat down, wincing. "Me, a lizard? There's no such fing!"

"No such thing!" James exclaimed, sitting cross-legged also. "But then how do you explain this: I'm a wizard!"

The boy looked at James as it James was a bomb that might go off any second. "My uncle would be angry if he heard you say that. But if you can prove it, I'll believe you."

Lily lowered herself to the floor, still holding Harry close. The baby tugged himself from her grasp and crawled over to the little boy, grinning a toothless smile.

"Is that your baby?" the boy asked, holding a hand out to Harry.

"No," Lily said. "We're...baby sitting, sort of."

"Oh, said the boy. "Can I...hold him?" Lily shook her head but stopped when James nodded, and Harry was pulled into the boy's lap. He peered through his puffed up eyes at the baby, who gazed back. "Cool!" the boy cried, pointing at Harry's scar, "we got the same scar!" He pulled up his fringe to reveal an identical jagged, lightening bolt shaped scar; James and Lily screamed. The boy dropped his hand in alarm and shifted back. "Sorry," he whispered. "Auntie doesn't like it either."

"It's ok," James assured him. "You're Harry, right?"

"How'd you know my name?" The boy asked, his normal eye wide.

"Because..." James gulped, and glanced at Lily. She gave him a helpless look. James reached out and held the boy's see-through hand. "That baby is you...as a baby."

The boy pulled his hand away as if burned. "ME?" he gasped. "But I'm me, I'm here-how can I be holding myself?"

James shrugged. "You're a wizard."

The boy leaned forward. "Did I..._travel frew time? _Like in Dr Who?Am I going back? Where am I?"

Lily shrugged. "You might have, but you look like a ghost to us. You're not really here, just a bit of you- I think. Unless you usually walk around transparent. It's nineteen-seventy-eight."

The boy looked gob smacked. "Then this can't be me...I was born nineteen-eighty."

"What?" the pair said, staring at the older Harry. "That's...that's..."

The boy grinned. "Magic! I can do magic!"

The little Harry dribbled in joy.

James and Lily stood up, and snatched the little Harry from the ghostly image's grasp. "I think you should...go," Lily said in a voice that shook. "Now."

The little boy stood up, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "How? Can you help me?"

Lily did not know why the next words came from her mouth. "I don't know whether I want to."

"Lily!" James cried, gazing at her in disbelief.

"Don't 'Lily' me James," Lily said. She turned to the mirage in front of her very own eyes. "This is beyond us now."

The little boy sniffed, gazing up at her. His eye grew in size. And he began to scream. "What now?" James yelled at the top of his lungs; the boy Harry pointed at Lily, hand shaking.

"There..." he whispered.

James looked at Lily, and gasped at the same time as she did. The two teens stumbled back, and the bigger Harry stayed in the doorway, clutching his baby self to his chest. Another mirage had appeared.

* * *

**A/n: This took me two weeks to write (actually, two days. The rest I spent staring at the screen with three lines written and hoping it would write itself). So I left Skye and went to Spain in that time (yes, Spain. South coast in a lovely- cough-place called Alcalali) and then came back again to Harry's Homeland (staying near the New Forest). Now people, most of you know I'm Aussie and all that, but listen to this: I have the worst sunburn in my whole life, and I got in on Boscombe Beach. How's that for weird?**

**I've been enjoying Dr Who whilst in this country (actually, I enjoyed it in Australia too, but the second series hasn't aired yet in the land down under), so I apologise for anybody who hasn't heard of it, because there are some references in this chapter, but it IS NOT important to the story line. I managed to get half an hour of internet today (sad, but I could not update) and I was overjoyed to see that I had 14570 hits. (I screamed, and all the people in the place stared at me, and I was still giggling and crying and gasping when I went into the fish & chip shop down the road, and let me tell you I got a lot of weird looks. The only thing I hate about Britain is: the chips. Yerch, I'd rather have Macca's, despite how unhealthy it is). Other than that...must stop rambling.**

**Ok, I'll be a good little sunburnt Aussie with a camera full of pics of Stonehenge and write...so much for saying I'll have ten chapters done.**


	16. Dream A Dream Of Me

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 16: Dream a Dream of Me**

_How could I have been so stupid, so lazy of mind,_

_Every time I turn around there's a new one to find._

_It's like being in a mirror and I can't escape,_

_I'm a picture, a prisoner, bounded with tape._

_All I see puts me further away into debt,_

_But this is a memory I don't want to forget._

_Something I do really fear however,_

_Is that you'll forget me… forever.

* * *

_

"Not again," whispered the image. He was crouched by the bed, and appeared to be about thirteen years of age. He stared at the bed leg; and James, Lily and the first Harry and baby Harry stood watching him. James recognised the boy's Hogwarts robes.

The five-year old mirage inched over to Lily, clutched her leg, and passed the baby into her arms. "Is that me again?" he asked.

The boy by the bed twisted on his heels and stood up, eyes widening behind his glasses at the source of the noise.

"Dad?"

"Harry?"

"Ga-ga!"

"Mum?"

All these words were said together, and became so jumbled nobody heard them. The five-year old Harry was cowering behind Lily and James.

"Ok, up shut!" yelled James.

Lily and the thirteen-year old Harry looked at James weirdly. James coughed. "I meant...be quiet...?"

The boy by the bed gestured to the baby in Lily's arms. "That's me, isn't it?"

Lily gave a pained smile and nodded. "If you're Harry, then yes."

James just stared at Harry. "You look just like me!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "So I've been told. Father's face, mother's eyes."

The sentence, Lily now realised, was true. He had her eyes. Which could only mean one thing...

"OWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Harry had pulled her hair. Not the thirteen year old one, idiots. The baby. And he wasn't letting go. Lily's eyes started to burn with tears. Faintly she heard the latest apparition mutter something about never expecting his dream parents act like this as James attempted to pry Harry off her locks.

"James you better get him off, this hair took me seven years to perfect!" Lily screamed, eyes screwed up in pain.

"I'm trying!"

"No you're..." she let off a colourful display of cussing, "...not!"

"Harry, stop."

Little Harry let go and Lily turned to the green-eyed transparent teen with grateful eyes. "Thankyou!" she gasped, rubbing her scalp.

"She's kind and gentle, kind and gentle," Harry murmured to himself in a chant-like tone. "Kind and...aww, forget it."

James giggled feebly. "I don't like this house anymore," he said. "Ghosts of...my son...keep appearing..."

The thirteen-year old raised his eyebrows. "I am here, you know."

James waved a hand, "yeah, yeah, sure."

"James!" Lily cried, cuffing the said seventh year around the head. "I am in shock. You should be in shock. Instead, you are acting like you don't care your son from the future is here."

"You're in shock?" Harry asked.

Lily turned to him. "Of course I am," she said grumpily. "I spent two weeks with a baby not knowing he was...you. And then you come along! I haven't even finished having one date with James yet, and here's the proof I have to-have to..." her eyes widened. "You idiot!" she said, rounding on James again and hitting him, hard. "You-" smack "-convinced me to-" punch "-marry you!" Hit, hit "and I had-" punch, whack "-KIDS WITH YOU!"

James ran, hands over his head and tried- ineffectively- to hide behind Harry. "Isn't that a good thing?" he yelled.

Lily glared at him through Harry's stomach. "NO!"

Harry looked very putout. "Lupin said my parents would be proud of me," he said in a hurt voice.

Lily looked at Harry's face, smile in place. "Oh, I don't blame you of course," she said kindly. Her head changed angle to look at James. "But it's still _his_ fault. And why-" she glowered more deeply still, "-doesn't he look a thing like me!"

"Well I-" Harry stuttered. "Genetics, you know..."

Suddenly James straightened up. "Waita minute, a five year old version of you came before...did you get bullied as a kid Harry?"

The teen's ghostly cheeks went red. "I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth. "I can take care of myself."

"Where is Harry, by the way?" asked Lily. She clutched her head. "That sentence sounded weird." She turned to look behind herself to where Harry had been last. He wasn't there. Or anywhere, to be exact.

"He's gone!" James shouted, peering into the corners of the room as if the little boy was hiding in the shadows.

"I was here before, as a five year old?" Harry said with scepticism. "Then wouldn't I remember it?"

Lily bit her lip. "Harry, I think you should go back. I'm getting scared, with you popping up."

Harry rubbed his scar. "Oh, ok. Sorry."

"Hey, wait!" James cried, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Just one thing, before you go."

"Yeah?"

"We like you," James said. "Don't forget that."

Harry nodded. "Sure, great...I'll just...how _do _I leave?"

The baby Harry squirmed in Lily's arms. "Dwoor! Dwoor!" He pointed to the door.

Lily laughed, and smiled. "Don't be silly Harry, how else did you think you were going to leave? Through the window?"

She winked at James.

Harry went to the door and opened it. He looked over his shoulder at the pair, now standing together. "Thanks. This was probably a dream, but...thankyou."

"You're welcome." The pair both said, and then Harry had left, the door swinging shut behind him. They listened to the footsteps move away, fading until they could be heard no more.

"I sounded really corny, didn't I?" James asked, still staring at the door.

"You did," Lily answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

They stood there for a good ten minutes, silent and listening to the wind blowing through the desolate house.

Lily looked at James. "As...interesting," she said delicately "-as this was, can we please leave? I'm am freaked out by this whole 'our son is coming to visit us in his dream' deal."

James agreed and they left the room at a hurry, and paced their way down the stairs. "Funny," said James as he headed for the dining room. "Thought this place wasn't haunted. _Knew,_ in fact."

Lily gave him a disapproving look. "You might like to think you know things James, but you don't even have a speck of knowledge."

"Compared to what?" James countered in an affronted tone.

"Me," she said simply, sticking her nose in the air. "Now open the window."

James smirked and pointed his wand at the tiny lines of light slipping past the planks, and once again the thin ghostly light wrenched itself from his wand with difficulty and crawled agonisingly to the planks, melting all in its path. James hopped through and stuck a hand through to help Lily. She climbed onto the last unbroken chair and flipped a leg out, then the other. But she slipped, and the pair came tumbling out into the muddy ground below, landing in a patch of grass and nettles.

Lily sat up, rubbing her head. "See, I told you I wouldn't like it," she said, her voice shaking.

"You didn't say that," James said, rubbing his head. "Wow, my head hurts."

"Same," Lily quipped, swapping Harry in her arms. He was looking at her with a 'now will you exclaim some more on how good I look when I grow up?' glare.

However, Harry was to be disappointed. You see, just as Harry never remembered the 'dreams' because of certain dreams or events close after having the meeting, Lily and James had forgotten all about their visits in the Shrieking Shack.

For that is the way it is meant to be.

And it was with this memory lost from their minds forever more that James, Lily and Harry trotted off towards the castle, arguing about peace, sport, a bit more sport, men's habits, women's habit's, baby habits and the ten best ways to save the world. Most unfortunate indeed, for it could have saved them a lot of trouble, had they remembered.

Trouble is a simple term for a small, rather round child by the name of Harry who incidentally happened to be in Lily's arms.

Back in the future, a soon to be fourteen year old Harry Potter awoke with a start. Harry lay flat on his back, breathing hard as though he had been running. He had awoken from a vivid dream with his hands pressed over his face. The old scar old his forehead, which was shaped like a bolt of lightening, was burning beneath his fingers as though someone had just pressed a white-hot wire to his skin. All he knew was that he had dreamt about Voldemort.

He did not remember the time that he had awoken as a five year old, breathing just as rapidly as he was now, fearful about what the new school week was to begin, and pondering over what the green flash in his dream had meant.

Only a baby Harry knew what had just occured, and he giggled to himself. He did not know what he was causing, but he had thought the whole incident a laugh. His mother had never hit his father before, but Harry had to admit they had a reason for this. To much of a good thing is bad for you.

However, not having anything good is even worse.

* * *

**a/n: I hope my dad doesn't suggest to my grandparents that they have a look at this, because...well, anyone with grandparents like mine should understand. I wrote this in two days, so yippee! **

**I made them forget. Yes, I look at it and say 'that was a very bad bit of writing' but I NEED it to be like that. Please understand. I loved last chapter, but to be honest I really don't like this one. But keep an eye out for more of these 'mirages'...remember why exactly the Shrieking Shack is 'haunted'. For anyone who didn't understand, the 'thirteen year old' Harry is in his summer before fourth, not third, so he's already met Sirius and all that jazz (love that saying...). **

**I take back the comment about the chips. I have tasted the best chips in the world tonight, so I take it all back. And it wasn't at Macca's.**

**Coming soon:**

**Harry gets eaten by a plant in Herbology.**

**Harry plays peek-a-boo with (insert a mystery person-can you guess who!)**

**P.S. the chapter was very short. **


	17. Pink Punks and Plants

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 14th June, 9:00PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children, includes character death), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 17: Pink Punks and Plants**

_The air I breathe is hot and wet,_

_Something big is happened, although not yet_

_All I see puts me further away into debt,_

_But this is a memory I don't want to forget._

_Something I do really fear however,_

_Is that you'll forget me… forever.

* * *

_

Today is a Tuesday.

A very hot, humid and harassingly wonderful Tuesday and most irritating of all, James is stuck in a green house which is even hotter, wetter and more harassing. Obviously though, the harassing was not just the weather's fault (or the fact that he is stuck inside with a tempting blue sky pressing heavily overhead) but the fact that he has to juggle a giant Venus fly trap, a baby and small hexes coming his way from where a group of five fellow Slytherins stand. Fellows being a loose term for enemies.

Harry continued to wail as James jumped out of the way of a "_Constipere!" _heading his way. Instead, it hit Peter right in the backside. The boy leaned over, clutching his stomach. James grimaced in sympathy, and waved down the professor.

"The Slytherins," he said simply, and the teacher nodded, and excused Peter from class. James sighed- he was the last one left.

With grim determination to survive the class he turned back to the plant he was tending to.

The giant Venus flytrap was quite true to its name. It looked like a large Venus flytrap, it's head large enough to swallow a dog. It had only one trap, which raised up from a bed of green furling leaves like a monstrous cage, snapping at thin air every so often and snarling all the while. Originating from deep within the forests of the Amazon, it is unknown to muggles (which would probably get eaten by it). Good thing too, because some are fabled to be big enough to eat a truck. In the wild these lovely (did I say lovely?- I meant evil, stinky blood-sucking felons) species feast on monkeys and large tropical birds that fly past.

James's lip curled. His had a colourful display of spikes on it ("the mating season, pupils!") which he had to clean.

It wasn't something he was looking forward to, although he wouldn't admit it to anyone but his closest friends.

He picked up a sponge, and held it where the plant could see it.

He dipped it into a bucket of pre-made soapy water (lavender, what else?) and lifted the dripping item.

"The name's Potter, James Potter," he said in his best James Bond voice (a concept Lily introduced him to on Sunday evening). "I don't like you and you don't like me."

The plant growled, baring its fangs in a threatening way.

James pushed his glasses up his nose. "You talking to me!"

He dived towards the stem, rubbing fiercely, ducking the gnashing jaws as they attempted to either devour him or at least make some damage. Soon the swaying herb was covered in bubbles, and appeared to look more like a lilac French poodle than an evil carnivorous plant from South America (very dangerous place, you know) and it sat in its pot, quiet and defeated. "See?" James panted. "That wasn't..." he gasped, "...so bad, was it?"

The plant snarled in a half-hearted way.

James picked up the list of things he had to do.

**How to care for your Venus flytrap**

James laughed.

_**A Venus Flytrap is a wonderful plant to have in your home. It is exotic and interesting, plus a natural way of insect, cat, dog and childrencontrol. For maximum effect, this plant requires a small amount of care.**_

_**REPOT your plant every three months, or as often as is necessary.**_

_**WATER your flytrap every 1-3 days, depending on size and climate.**_

_**CLEAN your flytrap every week or so. Your plant will drop leaves every so often, and these may or may not be good for the soil in their pot.**_

A note from the teacher was written here.

_Giant flytraps will need vigorous scrubbing and polishing once a month to care for their fragile 'skins.'_

James stared at the note with disgust. He had to polish it!

Shrugging, he went to the front of the class room to collect some POLLY'S PERFECT PLANT POLISH (try saying that five times in a row, very fast).

Snape, who was across the room sniggered. Harry had been left behind.

Harry looked at the plant. The plant ignored him. Harry waved, and still it ignored him. Harry shuffled across the bench, sitting right beside the plant. Its head swung around to watch the baby's progress. Harry smiled and stopped next to the pot.

Snape smiled a cruel smile, elbowing his friends. The whole group of Slytherins ignored their plants, watching what the baby would do next.

Harry patted the plant as if it were some demented dog, and then slung his arm around it in what he thought was a comforting way.

The plant stared (if that was possible- it doesn't have eyes) at Harry, highly offended by this treatment. Harry bit his lip: maybe this wasn't such a good idea. But it was so _pretty!_ He would grin at it, he decided, as everybody likes grins, and knows that a grin is a friendly gesture.

Harry didn't reckon on the fact that the plant was not technically a 'body'.

Snape glanced over to where James was- James had disappeared off to one of the other green houses to get some more polish. This fact made Snape smile, a very rare occurrence. He turned back to watch Harry's mistakes with amusement. He loved it when others looked stupid, even if they were sixteen months old and only had nine teeth.

Harry started to rub the flytrap's stem, and it started to snarl softly.

"Good kitty," Harry said.

The snarling became louder, in fact it made the whole plant vibrate with hate and malice.

Harry struggled to to his little feet, using the plant for support, making the poor (coughs violently) carnivorous plant bend over depressingly. Finally Harry was on his feet, letting go of the thick stem. It sprung back upright, leaving the head to swing back and forth in a drunken manner. Once it had stopped, it turned and glared at Harry in the way only plants can-they don't. Harry stroked the coloured spines, cooing softly.

The group of Slytherins put down their pruning shears.

Meanwhile, James took his leisure walking back to greenhouse five, enjoying his short-lived freedom. The polish was in his hand, the sky was blue, the day was warm and he didn't have that wretched (no matter how cute, he was still annoying) baby in his arms...

"Harry!" James yelled, hitting himself on the forehead. "Arrrghhh!"

James started to run full-pelt towards greenhouse five, trying desperately to discern through the thick foliage inside as to whether or not the Slytherin had given him constipation (why oh why they had to be taught that spell James would never know, but a baby with constipation would treble his problems) or if Snape turned Harry into a headless chicken.

What he found was much, much worse.

At first, James had thought a hippogriff had interrupted class. People were either laughing or screaming while the Professor cried, "calm down, let me through!"

But then James saw the giant Venus flytrap thrashing about...and the two porky legs protruding from its jaws.

"Haaaaaaaaa-rrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyy..." James moaned, diving forward to save Harry.

As he flew through the air holding onto Harry's tiny ankles, he wondered dimly when someone had slipped him the potion to make him act so out of his normal limitations.

"Petrificus Totallus!"

Suddenly James found himself clunking to the floor, immobile and face burning to the laughter of his peers. He watched with a frozen face of terror as the Professor approached the petrified plant and pulled the infant from it. The bell rang at that precise moment and James continued to lie on the floor as the class filed out, still chortling and smirking at him. When the door snapped shut, James was released and he scrambled to his feet, occupying himself with dusting his knees as the Professor stood staring at him.

"I think you should go to a mother's group, if you are to continue looking for that child," they told him in a stern voice and then ordered him from her sight.

"MOTHER'S GROUP!" James screamed at lunch that day. "Who do they think they are! I might have grown my hair a bit, but it's not that long!"

Remus rocked back and forth as he tried to stop his laughter.

"And YOUUUUUUUU!" James howled as he watched Remus hiccup. "Stop laughing, it snot funny!"

"Snot!" giggled Peter. The plump boy was not touching his food, as he was still under the effects of the curse. He shut up when James scowled a death glare at him.

"Well maybe you should," Sirius said reasonably as he helped himself to some Shepard's pie. "Harry's at a critical age, you want to be prepared. If you don't take action now he might...do that."

The group of friends followed Sirius's gaze, which was- strangely- up at the head table. A very small figure, smaller than any first year, was walking (or staggering, if you want to be specific) towards the line of Professors. Several girls were pointing and giggling and cooing as he passed.

"Since when can he walk?" Sirius asked with interest.

"Since Sunday," James sighed as he stood up, watching as Harry stuck his hands into one of Dumbledore's pockets. "I'll tell you later. I better go and save Black Beard."

"Who's Black Beard?" Peter asked with confusion. "That's Harry...and he hasn't got a beard!"

"Black Beard," Remus said in reminiscence. "Pirate, pillagers and plunderer of the seven seas!"

"Oceans, Remus," Sirius corrected.

"Seas sounds better though," Remus argued.

"I like the word ocean," Peter butted in.

"I wonder how James is doing," Sirius said as he glanced back up to the head table where James was once again (it was becoming a regular occurrence) apologising for whatever he or Harry had done last. James stumbled back, wiping his brow.

"Remind me, if I ever get near a girl again, of Harry. Because I never, never-"

"Want to have kids?" Sirius suggested.

"No," James snapped. He held Harry up. "I was going to say, "dress up my son in pink," but to be honest," James got a mischievous smile on his face as Harry kicked, "I think it suits him."

James got out his wand and flicked it- and Harry's clothes (including his "little tykes" jeans) all turned a soft pink. "There, lovely!" James crowed.

"Pink is the new green, Punk," Sirius said in a deep voice.

When Lily walked into the common room that evening, a pink-clothed, spiky-pink-haired and pink-eyed baby walked over to her with relief evident on his pink little face.

**A/n: I'm depressed by this British weather (in Aus, we have rain-as in a storm or sun-as in blinding your eyes ...not this grey drizzle), and the bars on the window (there actually are bars on the window, I kid you not), so I wrote this little chapter to lighten up a bit, plus I've been planning it for a while, hope it at least gave you a laugh. Nothing in it was serious (unless I change my mind) except one thing, which I refuse to reveal (laughs evilly). I know nothing of Black Beard, but just dropped it in, so call any mistakes artistic licence. On the note of artistic linsence; no, I was not putting Snape out of character...he was a child once, you know, and so is still a selfish little (coughs very very violently) at times.**

**Five days until I get home to my broadband connection, but give me six to get over my jetlag, since it's harder going back than coming to the U.K. (it takes me half a day coming, full day when I go back...or has the last um...four, six times? No idea...) and I can hardly wait! I'm just praying you can't wait either or I'm in for a lot of disappointment :(**

**Just for a recap for unobservant people, Lily and James HAVE FORGOTTEN all about what happened in the Shrieking Shack. According to them, they just went in, Lily freaked and they exited. As much as we all wish they remembered, I find the tension helps the story. If you hate it, flame me and then wait tensely for the next chapter (why would I tell you to leave?) and if you liked it, well tell me that you want to marry me (I shall, of course, refuse) and then start a riot when the next chapter doesn't arrive instantly. If you couldn't care less either way, just sit there waiting and I will deliver the goods.**

**1st August: And I'm stuck on chapter 18 guys, so please please please give me ideas or you won't get another chapter for a LONG time. I've been trying to write it for almost three weeks now!**


	18. Special Type of Hope

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Thursday, 24th August, 8:11PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 18: Special Type of Hope**

_A house, a man and a child, a dog's yelp_

_A twisted fairytale and I'm calling out for help_

_Something's coming, I can feel it in my bones,_

_Like an unseen omen, whispers of a ghost's moans_

_I need something to save me, make it alright_

_You're the fire of the darkest shadow of the brightest night._

_When you come I'll tell you you're my special kind of hope,_

_Only you in these hard times help me cope.

* * *

_

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

This is the beautiful sound that woke Gryffindor tower at one a.m. on Wednesday morning.

"Shut up!"

"Kill that baby!"

"Let us sleep!"

"I CAN'T, HE JUST WON'T SLEEP!"

"Then put him to sleep!"

James rubbed his eyes, bending over the cot to pick up the wailing baby. "You never shut it, do you?" he yawned. "It's what, the fifth time this night?"

Harry whimpered into James's pyjamas. "Nooooo, bad man nooo..."

Peter sat in bed staring blankly at James. The rest of the boys snored away, already over the shouting match that erupted every time Harry cried. "He cries more these days," Peter said.

"Nights, you mean," James muttered, sitting on the end of Peter's bed. "What's keeping you up?"

Peter shrugged after a moments pause. "Nothing...just thought I'd give you a hand."

"That's nice of you," James murmured, rubbing small circles into Harry's back, rocking back and forth. The boy's green eyes remained open, as if he were scared to sleep.

"He keeps saying about a bad man," Peter said quietly as to not disturb the rest of the tower's inhabitants.

"Yeah, well," James ran a tired hand through his hair, making it more crazy than normal. "Don't we all worry about a bad man?"

Peter frowned, gazing straight ahead and out the window. "He's never going to leave, is he?" Peter whispered into the dark. "They say he's immortal."

"Harry?" James asked stupidly.

"No," Peter snorted. "_Him._"

"I don't know," James said, looking out the window as well. "I hope not." He turned and smiled at Peter. "But we'll get him, won't we Wormtail? We'll fight him, together, the four of us. What if we got him at last! We'd be famous!"

"But he's immortal..."

"Nothing can stop the marauders," James said seriously. "I don't think we're some stupid group of kids- _do you_? We got something here Peter, and if we work together...that's better than any spell or enchantment that makes you immortal."

"Aright!" Peter said. "I didn't say no."

"I didn't that you did," James snapped, then sighed. "I'm just tired." He slid off the bed. "Harry's asleep...and we should be too. G'night Wormtail."

"G'night."

James tiptoed across the room to where Harry's cot stood and gently lowered the warm bundle. His hands grasped the bars and he stared down at Harry, thinking.

Was there truth in Peter's words? Was Voldemort immortal? Was James and his friends going to spend the rest of their lives fighting Him, only to die and leave their children with the same fate? Would they win?

But as James had said, he didn't know.

James gazed down at the smooth skin of Harry's face, his eyes tracing the button nose, round cheeks and finally to the jagged scar on the little boy's forehead, and he realised something. James did have one thing: James Potter had hope.

* * *

When dawn broke a few hours later, it was with great difficulty that the students of Gryffindor tower awoke, with only the knowledge that sleeping in would do them more harm than good to keep them going.

It was more difficult for a one James Potter than anybody else, but he kept the knowledge that the sooner he left, the sooner he could deposit the source of all the mayhem in his fellow Head girl's arms close to his heart. He also kept the head of mayhem perched on his chest- it seemed Harry had not had a good night's rest the night previous (as Sirius jokingly commented) and needed to catch up during the day

"I can't honestly see a reason why babies can't sleep at night, but sleep all day but for the sole purpose of annoying us," James grumbled to Remus as the pair walked down the stairs and into the common room. James searched the room of stragglers, and made his way with determination over to a girl with red hair.

"Righto," he said in mock cheerfulness. "He's all yours then."

Harry was shoved into her arms, and the boys headed towards the portrait hole without looking back.

Lily made a small sound of protest at their retreating backs, turning to her friend. "What was I saying again?"

The girl giggled. "You were just saying how responsible James is becoming," the girl said, covering her mouth.

"Right," Lily said disbelievingly. "Why did I say it again?"

The girl made a face and shrugged. "Only you have the faintest idea of how your mind works, don't go asking me."

"Thanks..." Lily muttered. "breakfast?"

The two girls began to make their way down to the Great Hall, and within minutes were seated and ready to eat. Lily dug into her cereal happily. "Lovely day," she said.

The sky above grumbled threateningly.

"Ok, maybe not," she smiled. "What say you Harry?

Harry moved his hands in front of his eyes, then removed them. "Boo!"

Lily decided to humour him. "Ok," she covered her own eyes. "Peeka-boo!" she looked at him. "I see you!"

"Boo!"

Lily screamed. Because, when she had uncovered her eyes, Harry's green eyes were not staring back at her. Two large brown eyes blinked.

But that wasn't the only change. Lily stared at the skunk, which waved its tail threateningly.

"Oh no you don't-" she began...

"**OH MY GOD!"** Lily wiped her face but the stench remained on her like a second skin. She rubbed her eyes furiously. "Yuck, yuck, yuck!"

A group of Slytherins seventh years cackled madly, Snape included in their midst. Unseen by the Gryffindors and Teachers, a wand was placed into a pocket.

Lily held the baby-turned-skunk as far from her personage as she possibly could. Faintly she heard people from her table shouting at someone...probably Slytherins, she concluded. Who else would Gryffindors shout at, apart from themselves? she looked desperately around.

The little creature in her hands made a small sound, and she looked at it. Despite its actions, it looked shocked and scared and...

Lily shook her head, trying to shake away the treacherous feelings of pity. Harry the Skunk did not deserve pity. Although, she had to admit, he made for a very adorable skunk.

"Lily," said her friend very slowly through the sleeve of her robe, "please change him back. Then get washed up. Please."

Lily gave her friend an unamused look. "There's a reason I got head girl position this year, you know."

"Oh, and what's that?" said a voice behind Lily, muffled by the evident hand that covered the person's mouth and nose. Lily slowly, as if in slow motion, turned in her seat to face the owner of the voice. James stood in the area between the Gryffindor table and the next, bag on his shoulder. Lily guessed that James was either going to his first class room or the library to study. James dropped his hand from his mouth and pushed his glasses up his nose.

Lily contemplated the head boy for a few seconds. "One, I'm smart; two, I'm responsible; and three I'm head girl mainly to make sure you don't get up to any tricks."

"Oh," James said innocently. "So you didn't get it for the same reasons as I did?"

Lily wasn't even aware that she'd placed Harry the skunk on her lap. "What reasons would that be Potter?"

"Well, mostly because of my intelligence and good looks..." James trailed off, grinning boyishly. "But also because I'm a good friend, good in bad situations and-"

"-and _what?" _Lily asked impatiently. "Don't you dare say it's to keep me in line, I'm not the one who sneaks out of the common room every night."

James squinted his eyes slightly, as if trying to figure out the puzzle that was Lily Evans. "I don't do it as often as I...did."

James's fingers twitched and Lily was shocked when his hand, instead of running through his hair, dropped to his side. "I wish you would trust me Evans. People can change, Lily-I know I have, and so have you. But into what?"

James shrugged to himself, pulled his bag up onto his shoulder more and stumped off, looking dejected.

"You've changed into a stink bomb," Lily's friend muttered into her sleeve; never the less, Lily heard it. Huffing, Lily stood up, tucked her books under her arm and Harry cradled in the other and walked the same path Potter had done so very recently, in search of a bathroom, a bottle of perfume and a quiet place to think.

The prefect bathrooms were her first choice, and soon she was at the entrance. "Pantene Shampoo," she muttered, and it opened.

She stepped in, breathing in the fresh scent, which masked her own repugnant one just a bit, giving her relief at last.

Harry the skunk squirmed in her arms, and Lily put him on the floor, letting the young black and white animal sniff the tiles while she moved to the marble sink.

The smell didn't seem to want to fade in anyway, and Lily closed her eyes. She didn't want to stink like this during school today. It would be too embarrassing! She had to get rid of the smell. She was a witch for gods sake!

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, an image of something entirely non-wizarding drifted across her mind. The image of a muggle perfume bottle, the type her sister used.

Lily shook her head. Petunia's perfume stank awfully and even if Lily was game to risk the unpleasant smell, she still didn't have a bottle of perfume with her.

She was a witch however, and the answer came instantly.

Lily pulled out her wand, silently thanking the friend who had given her _The Witch's Guide to Beauty._ Silently she cast a deodorising charm. Lily was very good at charms, and she breathed deeply to admire her handiwork. Granted, the charm would only last three hours, but that gave her enough time to reapply it during breaks until a such time when Lily could have a good bath, soak and scrub.

Yet there was still one problem, Lily concluded as she felt a small nose prodding her ankle. Harry looked up at her innocently, still in his skunk form. "Hey, stinky," she murmured, training her wand between his eyes.

"Finite Incantato," she said clearly.

Nothing happened.

"Fin-ite In-can-ta-to!"

The skunk remained a skunk.

Lily closed her eyes for a second, and mumbled to herself. "_Come on!"_

Fifteen tries later Lily looked at her watch, and as she cursed, she picked up Harry and ran from the bathroom, ignoring a very desperate-looking red-faced prefect, sprinting off for her first class.

She ran as fast as she could yet still managed to be five minutes late fro Potions. Outside the door Lily took three deep breathes. "It's ok, heaps of people are late, all the time," she reminded herself.

She pushed open the door, and immediately all eyes turned to look at her. Slughorn looked up from the cauldron he was stirring.

"Sorry, sir," Lily said. "I am late."

Slughorn smiled. "No matter, no matter, no matter! Take a seat Miss Evans!"

Lily looked around, and to her dismay the only place left was next to a boy with wild hair and glasses, and had a smirk on his lips. He patted the seat, giving her no choice but to slide into it.

Behind her, Sirius Black sniggered. Lily made a point that she was ignoring him by flicking her hair over her shoulder and loudly taking her possessions from her bag and setting up her things. Once done, she wriggled in her seat, raised her head in a dignified manner, smoothing down the white fur stripe of Harry's back. James leaned over the desk, scribbled something and pushed it into Lily's hands.

_**Are you needing help?**_

Lily frowned at the paper, flicking her eyes up to Slughorn for a second. She opened her notes and dipped her quill into her ink bottle- at the last second she slipped the note over her work and wrote quickly in her swirly writing, so different from James's chicken scratch handwork.

_I happen to understand every single word Sluggie is saying, as you well know, Potter._

The note went back to James, who read it and Lily heard him stifle laughter, scribble once more and slip the note under the desk where it wouldn't be seen and onto her thigh. Lily picked up the note.

_**I was actually talking about the fact that you have a skunk on your lap, which you haven't the sense to transfigure back into a baby.**_

_Maybe I prefer a skunk instead of a screaming, smelly, wriggly child._

_**And skunks aren't smelly? I'm pretty sure I can make him scream and wriggle...I could do the same to you.**_

_Ergh, Potter! I'm trying to graduate from Hogwarts, SANE!_

_**Well then, your aims were ruined a long time ago.**_

"Miss Evans," Slughorn said, and Lily looked up to the round head swimming above her. "Notes in class? I would never have thought..."

"Potter started it," Lily said automatically.

Slughorn chuckled heartily. "I thought Gryffindors didn't cast the blame onto others, or perhaps I am wrong?"

"Oh, we're brave sir, but we also know justice. Potter started it," Lily answered, earning a great guffaw from the Head of Slytherin House.

Slughorn chuckled once more, moving away. "And as I was saying, Veritaserum is very..."

_**So, how are you enjoying being Head Girl, anyway?**_

Lily glanced at James in annoyance; didn't he know when to stop?

_It's ok, although it's a bit...hectic. And then there's Harry. You taking him on Saturday?_

Lily watched James's expression very carefully as he read the note. He bit his lip, worried it, and dipped his quill into his silver inkpot.

_**I'm guessing you know. About Remus. Poor bloke, I have to be there. You understand right? I wouldn't duck out of duty if it weren't for something as important as this.**_

_Of course I understand. Just...be careful, all of you. He may be your friend but...the werewolf isn't._

James took this last note, read it and shot Lily a grateful glance. She gasped very quietly when his hand grasped hers under the table. "I knew you'd understand Lily. Not many people would. You're special like that."

When James turned Harry back into his natural form after class (much to Lily's relief; she was very glad James was so good at Transfiguration) Lily smiled at him widely.

It felt nice, she told herself as she headed to her next class, to be told you were special every once in a while. But it felt even better when you could look at a person and know it all the time.

* * *

**A/n: Pathetic chapter, isn't people ( a bit like my health at the moment...)! But finally (drum roll please) we have, in the next chapter: THE FULL MOON. At the Shrieking Shack. Gasp. No seriously, it should hold a lot more than the last few chapters. I'm pretty disappointed with my work to be honest. Oh, well. Better luck next time? And erm, for a hint, the midnight scene was actually part of the plot. And the Potions scene was a bit of romance (no, duh!)**

**So sorry for taking so long, but I did say I was having trouble. Above is the result of such trouble (cringes..._a skunk,_ please help me).**

**This chapter is dedicated to Shaggy37 (who gave me a push in ideas, and even though the result was bad, you have to laugh at Harry turning into a skunk) and brainchild, whose reviews, out of the many I have received, stick to the forefront of my mind. Also, thank you very much to the rest of the reviewers, everybody give them a big round of applause!**


	19. The Big Bad Wolf

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 9th September, 7:11PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 19: The Big Bad Wolf**

_The moon shines so bright, the moon it shines tonight,_

_Never have I memories of this wondrous sight._

_Alone in a building I am locked inside,_

_Not behind bars but within myself I hide._

_How was I to know of what I might find,_

_See the future walk where the past is confined._

_But tonight I have my friends, as I howl my heart bends,_

_Forever have I memories of the healing of love and what it mends.

* * *

_

The sky was a dark shade of lavender, but to the west it was streaked with brilliant orange, pink wispy clouds floating over where the last of the sun remained. The wind rustled the leaves of the Forbidden Forest, and Remus sighed. It seemed the world was mocking him with all its beauty. Beauty he could see and sometimes even touch, but never, never possess. Madam Pomfrey glanced around nervously, even after all these years, and quickened her pace across the school grounds. Remus followed her.

The pair soon reached a large, yet fairly young tree, which swayed ominously in the breeze. The Matron picked up a stick and prodded it around the base of the tree, until the plant became still, then ushered Remus to the gap between the roots. Remus slipped through into the darkness, and began to walk at a fast pace.

It didn't take him long to get to his destination, and he closed the door of the bedroom quietly, and sat on the bed heavily, glancing at the boarded up window where a golden ray of light shone through a crack. Soon the light disappeared, and Remus closed his eyes, face turned to the ceiling. Above him was a small hole in the roof.

Outside, the moon rose into the sky, and the first moonbeam travelled in a straight line. The angle was so exact, it sieved through the hole in the ceiling and shone onto Remus's face. Despite the circumstances, he felt himself smiling. There was always a moment, just when the moon hit him, that he felt peaceful. Neither man nor wolf, he was a pure heart.

And then pain gripped his body and he let out a desperate cry that nobody would hear, except the scared inhabitants of Hogsmeade.

James sat in the common room by the window, eyes glued on the window. The sun had just set below the horizon. James stood up, claiming that he wanted to go check out a book from the library, and headed to the portrait hole. Five minutes later, Sirius Black stood, telling the girl with heavy black lashes who'd been blinking at him that he had a detention with Filch. Four minutes after Sirius, Peter told the person he'd been playing exploding snap with that he was hungry and needed to visit the kitchens.

The three boys met on the second floor corridor, and James dug his treasured invisibility cloak from his pockets, along with a piece of parchment. The three boys put their wands on the parchment, and chanted as one. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good..."

And the Marauder's map came to life.

Sirius poked Peter in the side, and the boy promptly turned into a rat, curling up in Sirius's pocket. James and Sirius shared a glance, and moved once again. They'd timed their expedition perfectly, slipping through the great oak front doors just as the Matron started climbing the steps. She tugged her cloak about her as the cloak fluttered dangerously close to her ankles, but didn't seem to sense anything suspicious. The boys passed her and before too long Sirius, James and Wormtail the rat were in the tunnel leading to where Remus was. James silently drew the invisibility cloak from their shoulders, stuffing it with the map into a notch in the dirt wall. Sirius smiled a tiny smile, then his face lengthened, his spine twisted, fur sprouting all over his body until a large black shaggy dog shook itself, smiling sloppily up at James. Wormtail squeaked, climbing up onto the dog's back.

James took this as his cue, and he closed his eyes. He transformed into a young stag with large hazel eyes and an pair of three tined antlers. He pawed the ground, snorting softly, and the other two followed him along the tunnel.

Three pairs of sensitive ears pricked as the sounds of whimpering cries reached them. Prongs the stag paused in the lower level of the house, and Sirius the dog looked at him, growling softly. Wormtail scampered from his back, squeaking in agreement. Prongs dipped his head.

_I understand._

Padfoot took a deep breath, eyes creased slightly with worried, then bounded up the staircase. The stench of pain and torment reached his nose, along with the comfortable smell of wolf. Padfoot knew he should fear this smell, but it sparked off a primal feeling of family. He nudged open the door to the bedroom, and entered.

A snarl came from the bed, and Padfoot could see two eyes staring at him in the dark. Padfoot whined.

_Hi Moony._

The werewolf's eyes, shining in the dark, stared with a harshness.

_Go away._

_Moony, it's me. Your pack?_

_My Pack? Go away._

Padfoot whined, begging the wolf to understand, wishing that the tiny part of Remus it could still hear would be heard._ Come on Moony, you can do it!_

A light flickered behind Moony's eyes, but only lasted a second.

_Go away._

The werewolf had stood, rising from the mattress, a figure in the shadows. The drapery ruffled in a catch of wind- caused by the cracks in the walls or by the Wolf's movements Padfoot did not know, but his ears instinctively pricked at the sound of rustling. The curtains stilled, but the sound still echoed in his ears.

The werewolf had frozen also, paused to listen. It was like whispers, whispers whose words could not be heard, but were very close. Padfoot strained to hear.

"You need to get yourself out."

The words sounded like a child's spoken with a pain-filled voice. It came from everywhere- Padfoot did not know where to look for the source. The Shack had started to shake from the wind outside, but underneath the creaking and groaning, he could hear the whispers, like a distant shout. It was all so loud he could no longer hear Prong's snorting breath from downstairs anymore. Then the voice spoke again, but it didn't sound normal, it sounded like an echo.

"It was just like magic!"

Another voice joined.

"I didn't do it I swear, I just jumped behind the bins!"

A frantic voice, excited, happy.

"Come look, it's my parents!"

"He's back. He's back. Voldemort's back."

This last sentence made Padfoot jump. He _knew _that name, but the sentence in which it was said did not make sense. Voldemort...You-Know-Who...back? When had he ever gone?

Padfoot glanced at the Wolf. The Wolf, for the first time Padfoot could remember, looked _scared._ Not just scared; terrified. The Wolf was moving back from Padfoot, eyes wide with panic. Staring at Padfoot the whole time. Padfoot moved his head, then froze, his hackles raising.

Something was behind him, he could feel it.

Slowly he turned, and a rush of air left his lungs.

James Potter, his best friend, stood in front of him. but this James Potter didn't look quite right. This James Potter, whilst the same age as Padfoot's James, was rather pale...and transparent. Not transparent like a ghost- transparent like a...Padfooot did not even have a name for it.It was like a coloured, yet see-through glass sculpture- 3D but not even really there. The boy looked ahead, right at the Wolf, and raised a wand.

Despite the fact he was a wizard at heart, Padfoot felt fear as the wand was raised. Dogs cannot fight magic.

The boy shut his eyes and it was only when he did so was it that Padfoot realised what was the difference between James and this...boy. This boy had green eyes, a green Padfoot was sure he'd seen _somewhere._

The eyes opened again, and the boy let out a choked sob, and fell to his knees, his wand dropping from his hand. He whispered.

"No more."

Padfoot was trembling, the background whispers were getting louder, shouting for attention.

_"Help...I want to join...You can't stop me...There's nothing more guys, nothing...like something out of someone else's life, these last few weeks with you...Dumbledore's Army...It's gonna happen and there's nothing i can do to stop it...Leave me...Help...It's gone, just gone...Maybe if I'm gone you'll be safe...I've lost too much...I'm so glad I'm here...You'll be here forever, yeah?...Not like I got much else to do, just save the world...Yes! We did it!...Hogwarts is my home...the Shrieking Shack...Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfooot and Prongs proudly presents...I'm just want to kill that bastard!..."_

Padfoot moved back as the boy started to cry into his hands, pressing his glasses to the bridge of his nose.

Padfoot's head started to ache, the voices like a rolling wave, crashing around him.

Prongs came crashing into the room, his antlers shaking off the last piece of door that was stuck on the tines, a rat clinging desperately on his neck. The transparent boy faded from view, but Prongs stilled as the last of the image disappeared. He lifted his head, eyes locking with Padfoot.

Padfoot knew Prongs could hear the voices too.

The moon shone through the roof, bathing the room in a soft low. The Wolf whimpered, not daring to do anything. Prongs leapt over to where Padfoot stood, nudging him in the side. Padfoot whined.

Suddenly the room burst into colour, tens, hundreds of the images appearing. At first it was just the boy who looked like James, but then more came- Padfoot was sure he'd seen James's crush, Lily Evans, run past with a bundle in her arms.

His eyes were attracted to where a tinkling laugh originated, and he saw the boy leaning against the wall, a girl sitting in his lap. All the other figures flitted about, but all sound seemed to fade away, as Padfoot homed in on their voices. The girl leaned her head back on the boy's shoulder, her red hair shining in non-existent sunlight.

"You'll be here forever, yeah?" She asked lightly.

"Yeah," the boy answered. He coughed to clear his throat. "Forever...always."

"You're a good guy," she murmured, closing her eyes.

"Yeah," he said, resting his chin on her head. "That's me."

"Your parents would be proud of you," the girl said suddenly.

The boy bit his lip. "You think so?"

"How could they not be?"

The boy was silent for a moment. "They're not alive, so I guess I would never know." He stopped speaking. "You know, I had a dream of them once."

The girl in his arms shifted. "You mean of the night they-"

"No, a nice dream," the boy smiled. "They told me they liked me."

The girl turned around to hug him. "Anyone who knows you would have to like you."

The pair faded.

A harsh, cold, cruel voice rang throughout the room, hurting Padfoot's ears and striking fear in his heart.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Padfoot's eyes flicked to where a figure crumpled to the floor, revealing a cot...and his stomach turned icy. A tall cloaked figure turned their wand on the cot. Padfoot shifted closer to Prongs's leg, and could feel the stag shaking.Green light erupted from the tip, bathing the room in harsh light. Then, just over the place where the body lay, it seemed to pause. The whole room glowed green.

"Dada!" the little child in the cot cried in wonderment at the light. "Mama, dan Pafof!" with a tiny shriek he clapped his hands.

The green light grew brighter, then brighter still, and Padfoot had to shut his eyes to protect them, only opening them when the burning sensation left. Everything was silent, even the voices. All the mirages were gone.

The curtains were still.

And the lingering scent of a child remained in the room, easily detectable to Padfoot's sensitive nose. Without thinking, Padfoot turned to Prongs and resumed his human form. He only remembered how stupid this was when a growl erupted from the bed.

No matter what happened, the Wolf would always be on a full moon.

And Padfoot had just done the equivalent of teasing the Big Bad Wolf with a nice fat little pig, or a little girl in a red riding hood.

Or a young man who stunk of fear.

And the wolf loved to hunt those who smelt of fear.

Sirius turned to see two eyes glowing and the howl of the Wolf's first ever victory echoing in his ears…

* * *

**A/n: I give you guys complete and utter permission to hunt me down, dress me in ceremonial clothing, tie me to the stake, shave off all my hair (I won't really mind, it's not very nice hair), drown me, burn me, and force me to eat peanut butter.**

**Because I am a very very bad author who took way to long to do this chapter. Sure, I had six projects and three tests, but Fan fiction should come first (please not the sarcasm by the way), shouldn't it?**

**Who cares if my education is forfeited?**

**Will Sirius get killed! (please poll)**

**Anyway, hope you liked the cliff hanger. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER?**

**Oh, and thankyou to the forty people who have added this to their c2 archives, and to the nine (tut-tut, I expect more of all you guys) people who reviewed!**


	20. Wormtail Wanted

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 17th September, 7:20PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 20: Wormtail Wanted**

_The wolf is strong, the wolf is bad_

_But he's my friend and that makes me glad_

_Darkness is merely a shadow that we can fight_

_Because where there is shadow there is always light_

_My family is here and my family is near_

_They do not know me because their hearts are full with fear_

_I need only my friends by my side,_

_They define me, they save me and they are the ones I can ride!

* * *

_

It really was too obvious, Padfoot thought as he strolled along beside the Wolf. Werewolves were really only focussed on attacking humans. So the solution to his dilemma had been pretty easy- turn back into Padfoot.

Of course, if it weren't for Prongs, he'd probably had been dead before he'd even thought up that idea.

The Wolf leapt from the bed, teeth bared and claws outstretched towards Sirius, flying through the air. Prongs swung his head, complete with a set of mighty antlers, catching the Wolf in the chest and flinging the beast across the room as if the Wolf were only a little girl's rag doll, coming to a limp thud underneath a boarded up window. Still gasping from shock, Sirius had immediately morphed before rushing to the Wolf's side, nudging his wet nose into the fur.

The Wolf had stirred, eyes opening in a dazed fashion, staring at Padfoot for a while, before the Wolf licked his face and stood, ears pricked to attention. Padfoot had grinned his sloppy dog grin, knowing the Wolf would not be fooled.

The Wolf always knew when you were pretending. Nevertheless, Prongs and Padfoot had been able to convince the Wolf to remain calm (or as close as he could get) and to be lead peacefully from the Shack. Padfoot felt a rush of relief when he emerged from the Whomping Willow.

Something about that house was not right...and who was that person whose figure haunted that room?

Padfoot looked up to see Prongs, Wormtail and the Wolf disappearing into the Forbidden forest. Padfoot felt a shiver run down his spine...he didn't really like the forest. He sped up and was soon with the group again, trotting through the trees.

Padfoot let himself frown. They hardly ever went into the forest, and never this far in. Whatever was Prongs doing?

The quiet chatter of Wormtail drifted into Padfoot's ear, but he didn't listen, more preoccupied in keeping his full attention on checking fro danger.

Prongs made a sharp left pushing Padfoot and the Wolf down a barely visible path. He started to speed up, and the Wolf and Padfoot had to almost run to keep up.

The trees suddenly dropped away to reveal a small body of water, that looked rather like a large puddle. It had a diameter of about two trees lain on their side, tip to tip. The moonlight streamed down from the gap in the trees, making the surface a silver colour.

And they weren't the only one in the clearing.

Exactly thirteen people stood on the opposite bank. Padfoot smelt impatience on the wind.

They'd been waiting. For them?

Wormtail made a frightened squeak.

_Danger._

Padfoot could smell blood. The people smelt of blood. Human blood.

One took a step forward, to the very edge of the water. "Animals. We know that there is a contaminated one among you. Do not come closer."

Padfoot's hackles raised and he growled. He knew these people wanted to harm them, he could smell hate.

Another figure, shorter than the first, stepped forward. "Not to worry Lupin, we don't need you yet. But what about the filthy dog?"

Only one person Padfoot knew had a voice like that, and only that person called him 'filthy dog'. Severus Snape stood on the other side of the miniature lake.

Padooft glanced at Prongs, and inched around the lake. Prongs used his antlers to stop the wolf following. Once Padfoot was a good distance from the Wolf, he transformed. "I've revealed myself Snivellus, how about you?"

Snape dropped his hood, smirking. "Ah, Black. Such a pleasure. A family reunion."

Sirius only understood when the other twelve dropped their hoods. There were a few Hogwarts students, but other wise all of the others were wanted Death Eaters. Including Bellatrix Black and her husband.

"Good evening cousin," Bellatrix said, looking down her nose.

"I thought I had been disowned? Or is my dear mother missing me?" Sirius hissed, anger making his heart pound painfully. He wished it wouldn't. Feeling hurt so much sometimes.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. "Don't be foolish Sirius. You hurt your dear mother. She'd never want you back."

"She deserved to be told," Sirius hissed. "Everyone deserves the truth."

"And the truth is that the Dark Lord is the only way to go," Bellatrix responded. "Now, enough of this. What ever are you doing here? This was a rather private affair."

Sirius glanced across the lake to his friends. "Leave Bella. Leave Hogwarts and take the scum with you-" he nodded his head at Snape. "Or I'll have to force you."

Bellatrix laughed. She turned to her fellows. "The little schoolboy thinks he has the authority to banish us!" She turned her cold eyes back to Sirius. "Don't push your luck Sirius. You're a mere child against us. We work with the Dark Arts. We are the shadows of the world- and we are everywhere. Your little schoolbook spells won't help."

Sirius pushed his hand into the pocket with his wand in it. "Oh yeah? There's how many of you? Thirteen?"

"There's only one of you," Bellatrix dismissed.

Sirius smiled. "I'm sorry to say you're mistaken." From his pocket he pulled an object and showed it to Bellatrix. "You see, where ever you find a shadow, you'll always find _light."_

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she glanced up from the object in Sirius's hand to her cousin's face. "Dumbledore doesn't employ his students."

"You're right," Sirius smirked as he heard twigs snap in the surrounding trees and the whistle of wind blow through the clearing. "He seeks aid from his friends. And you'll find Dumbledore has a lot of friends."

At this word, figures stepped out from the trees, completely surrounding the group of Death Eaters. Sirius glanced over the lake, relieved to see that Wormtail, the Wolf and Prongs had retreated, hidden away. "Do not move," commanded one of the advancers. "We are the Order of the Phoenix and we will not hesitate to attack."

Bellatrix merely laughed, and faced Sirius. "Run," she hissed.

Simultaneously all of her fellow Death Eaters Disapparated. Bellatrix threw one last cold look at Sirius. "Your father would have been...disappointed, Sirius."

A crack broke the world. Sirius didn't pay attention to the Order's cries of anguish. Someone was clapping him on the back, shaking his shoulder, but he stared at the place where his cousin had been. He was hardly aware of the Order disappearing.

He was alone.

Across the lake a stag's bellow called, and Sirius let his eyes wander. Prongs and the Wolf stood side by side. Prongs looked at Sirius.

"Yeah," Sirius whispered. "And I'm glad."

He closed his eyes and felt fur sprout all along his body- his bones reform, his muscles stretching, his skin altering. He opened his eyes, and his senses flooded. He could hear- truly hear- he could smell, smell all that there was to smell, and he galloped around the lake to meet his pack.

Sirius wasn't a Black. He wasn't even an Order member- not yet. He was barely a man. But he was one thing.

He was a marauder, and nothing could beat that, because he had his friends. Friends meant the world to him. Family you were obliged to. Friends you weren't. Friends you got a choice.

And the marauders were the best choice there was.

Prongs lifted his head. There was only an hour left of night. They started to walk through the forest, back to where they could find the Whomping Willow. They went through the hidden tunnel, and locked Remus in the bedroom. Sirius's heart ached when the locked clicked.

Prongs took a step back and transformed. He stood aside, waiting for Peter to appear.

Peter did not come. Sirius could hear whimpers from within the bedroom. "Peter?" James called. "Hey mate! Joke's over! Come out!"

Nothing happened. "Did he come with us?" Sirius said. "Last time I saw him was at the-you know-"

"Do you reckon he fell off my back?" James said in panicked voice as Remus let out a shriek.

Sirius started to tug James down the tunnel. "We'll go look for him. Anyway, we don't want to be caught here."

They were just reaching the end of the tunnel when the sounds of footsteps reached them. James and Sirius shared a look. James's head turned in a 'no way' fashion. 'The cloak' he mouthed.

They faced forward, running, hoping they would get there.

Madam Pomfrey walked along the tunnel, and shivered as a breeze made her cloak flutter. Under the cloaked, the two boys held each other's hands over the other's mouth to silence their pants. They were just in time.

The Matron disappeared around the corner, and the cloak was swept from their shoulder. "That was-" began Sirius.

"-Way too close" finished James. They looked at each other, and burst out laughing, and headed out of the tunnel. They started off towards the forest in the dawning light, eyes scanning for their friend.

Peter came stumbling out of the trees, and James and Sirius rushed to his side. Peter waved a hand. "I-fell off." he panted, red in the face. "Got-lost…"

Sirius grabbed onto his elbow and steered him towards the castle. "I feel bad for forgetting you," he muttered. Peter shook his head, eyes glazed.

"Fine…"

Sirius turned Peter around to look him in the face. Peter's eyes were rolling. "I think not," Sirius said. "Sirius- are you sure those Death Eaters were gone?"

Peter's eyes focused slightly. "Death-Death-Eaters?" He asked. "There were thirteen of them. Snape-Snape-"

"What? What did Snape do?" Sirius asked urgently, his blood starting to quicken. Peter looked positively ill- he was shivering despite is long robes and there was sweat on his brow.

Peter didn't get to answer. His eyes rolled back, and his head lolled to the side, and his body crumpled into Sirius's arms.

Sirius turned to James. "We need to get him to the hospitable wing, now!"

James glanced at the castle. "If we're careful, I won't be seen. Get on."

James swivelled around, and once he was facing Sirius again, Prongs stood in his place. Not stopping to question his friend's actions, he threw Peter onto Prong's back and hopped on behind him.

He couldn't help but smile and say "Ye-ha!" as Prongs started to gallop towards the castle.

* * *

**A/n:I can't believe you guys. Tut, tut. I would never kill Sirius. What do yu take me for? Joanne Rowling? Do I look like her to you?**

**Yay! I did this in less than ten days! Everybody clap for me! And I let a lot of the plot progress! Well, I hope you paid attention. Sadly, not baby Hawwy, but hopefully he'll appear next time. And you know what? I've designed a name for the Sequel, if I do one: Napping With The Child. Like the title? (Kidnappers, anyone?)**

**This chapter is not only dedicated, but writen for Raven55. They gave me probably the nicest review ever and squashed one of my fears. Thankyou Raven55!**

**Also: What is wrong with Peter? Tell me what you think really happened!**


	21. Sirius Speaks Up

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 21: Sirius Speaks Up**

_My friends were the ones I cared for most_

_But I've found something else that reaches the post_

_I thought it'd be okay that I had it all_

_I tried to keep it and now my world is starting to fall._

_Everything seems way to hard,_

_My soul has been beaten bruised and scarred._

_These days there seems to be no choice_

_How can I talk when nobody will listen to my voice?_

_But then she came, smiled and said "don't let go,"_

_I think I love her still but the feeling seems so long ago.

* * *

_

Prongs slowed down behind the greenhouses, and Sirius slid from his back. The boys hurried up through the front doors and through the corridors to the Hospitable Wing. The Matron was on the far side of the Hospitable Wing, mopping Remus's brow. She jumped when they came storming in.

"Black, Potter, I assure you, your friend is fine. Just a bout of food poisoning!"

Sirius held the immobile Peter Pettigrew in front of him, and Pomfrey gasped, dragging the unconscious form into bed, twittering all the while about the responsibilities of boys.

"We think he was attacked," Sirius said, sitting beside the bed as Pomfrey poured a yellowish liquid down Peter's throat. "In the...um, the corridors. He wanted to go to breakfast early."

"Whatever happened, it's done harm," Pomfrey muttered, lifting an eye lid. "He's out cold."

"He'll live, right?" James said anxiously. Madam Pomfrey tutted and muttered to herself, pulling out her wand and waving it energetically through the air, the frown on her face growing deeper with every swish. She gave a gasp, turning to Sirius.

"Go get Dumbledore and Slughorn...and Oucirus, now that I think of it..."

Sirius nodded and sprinted out, his face very pale. Pomfrey stalked off to her office, leaving James alone with his two comatose friends. Peter twitched feverishly every so often. James stood next to the bed and placed a shaking hand on Peter's shoulder. "Come on buddy," he whispered. "Come on..."

Peter gave a shuddering breath, as if breathing for the first time in his life. His eyes flew open, fixed on James...but moments later James realised Peter wasn't really seeing...was he blind?

"James," Pater said with relief. "James!"

James's hand squeezed his shoulder. "You ok?"

"James..." Peter whispered. "Snape...he...it was him..."

"He attacked you?"

Peter's head shook, and his eyes were fixed on the ceiling now, blindly seeing. "No..."

James leaned closer to hear better. "Who attacked you Peter? I'll get them for you...!"

Peter was gasping now, desperately shaking his head. His chest rattled, and his eyes flicked uselessly. "Snape...didn't attack me...he-he..." Peter took another deep shuddering breath. "So you really like Lily, don't you James?"

"What?" James said, disturbed by Peter's sudden change in voice. Peter rambled on, as if lost in a completely different situation.

"Never mind mate, you'll get her eventually and you'll have lots of little babies together, and one you'll name..." Peter took another shuddering breath, and his voice turned panicked and raspy. "Harry! Oh Dear Merlin, Harry! He's gonna die! An innocent baby!"

James's heart thumped painfully in his chest- for Peter's helplessness, the words he was saying and the mounting feeling that no help was coming. Madam Pomfrey seemed to be oblivious to what was happening. She wasn't coming.

"Peter, just tell me and I'll make it right," James whispered feverishly. "Tell me-"

Peter smiled brokenly at his bedside lamp. "You won James. You missed...but you won. Can you believe it?"

James closed his eyes for a second. "Peter, _stop this!_ It's not funny!"

Peter's eyes rolled, his body shook and his legs and arms shot out like sticks. With one last inhale of breath, Peter grew still.

"Miss Evans!"

Lily turned, hiding a yawn as her Head of House came hurrying over to her. "Yes Ma'am?"

"A student has been attacked," McGonagall told her in a hushed voice. "As such, Mr Potter may or may not be available to care for your ward today." The Professor inclined her head to the dozing child in Lily's arms.

"Potter's been attacked?" Lily asked in perplexed tone.

"No, one of his friends. Now I must be off- I need to inform the Headmaster-" McGonagall strode away. Lily looked around herself, then on impulse, turned on her heel and rushed from the Great Hall and through the corridors until she got to the doors of the Hospital Wing.

Hushed whispers greeted her as she pushed open the door- Sirius and James looked up from their places beside one of the beds. Both had large circles under their eyes, and their sparkle was gone from those eyes. James didn't even try to give her a smile, but merely nodded to her. "How's Harry going? Not dead I hope?"

There was something strained in his voice, but Lily put it aside as stress. "He's fine_...is that Peter_?"

Sirius nodded.

"What happened?" Lily said with a gasp, coming over to inspect the body. The usually flushed face had no colour what so ever, and the eyes were slightly open. Peter's arms and legs stuck out at unnatural angles. "Is he..." Lily didn't dare say the word, to horrified by the prospect.

"He's not dead," James stated, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. "What he is though..." James stared long and hard at his friend.

"McGonagall said he was attacked-by who?" Lily pressed.

Sirius shrugged. "Beyond us." He glanced morosely at the figure in the bed. "Only he knows."

Lily shifted Harry, and James stood up. "Let me take him," he said softly. She shook her head.

"I'm fine. It's your friend who looks as if he's dead."

James snatched Harry from her arms. "Seriously. It's my turn."

Harry yawned in his arms, his eyes blinking open, fixing on Sirius. Sirius blinked. Those eyes...

"Woomta!" Hay said, looking at Peter and reaching his arms out. "Woomta!"

James glanced at Sirius before placing Harry on the bed. Harry crawled quickly up to Peter's shoulder, and tugged at the blanket there. His eyes were fixed on Peter's face. "Woom-"

"Sirius, will you stop staring at me?" Lily asked in irritation. Sirius's eyes left her face, looking at James, then Harry. "Dear Merlin," he breathed.

"What?" James snapped. Sirius looked at him.

"Its-" Sirius glanced at Harry again. "Never mind."

James hurried around the bed to face his friend. "Sirius, what is it?"

Sirius shook his head. "I said _never mind._ It doesn't matter." He put his hands on the bed. "Right now the only thing that matters is our friends James-" he jerked his head towards Remus. "I thought you said friends were the most important thing." His tone was accusatory.

James stared Sirius, unable to believe the look in his friend's eyes. "Huh?"

Sirius looked at Harry, and his eyes flicked t Lily. "James, you're the one who suggested we make that pact. and now you're acting like...like _everyone else._ People who have friends just for friends. I thought the Marauders were more than that. But- there's the girl now. Years we've put up with your infatuation. Then this year you're acting all..."

James's chest seemed to constrict. "Acting what Sirius? Say what you mean!"

"Stupid!" Sirius shouted. "You're acting like some sort of bloody hero. Head boy. Baby sitter. Gentleman. And last year- saving _Snape?_ JAMES, THAT'S NOT YOU. You are a Marauder!"

James took a step back. He was hurt that Sirius thought this. It was obvious Sirius had been stewing on this for a while. But it still hurt that Sirius would ever think that James wasn't completely committed to his friends. Behind him he heard Lily faintly echo the word "Marauder," in confusion.

"You know I know that," he whispered.

Sirius crossed his arms. "I don't think you do."

James ran both of his hands through his hair. "Sirius, you're my friend. You're practically my brother. But you've got to face it- my life can't be just the Marauders. We've got less than ten months before we have to leave Hogwarts. And yes, I do like Lily, and I've liked her for ages. You shouldn't even be bringing Harry into this. He's some orphan that me and Lily as Heads of this school have been given the responsibility to look after. If you think that all of this shouldn't be part of my life, then you don't know me."

Sirius stared at James. "Fine. I see. You're _growing up._ So much for saying that you wouldn't let everyone rule your life James. You're just another person who's gonna come and go like a face in the crowd." Sirius stalked to the door of the Ward, and turned with his hand on the door knob. "Have fun with your girlfriend, your baby and your responsibilities. I'm glad I realised that I wasn't important you before it was too late."

The door slammed behind him, leaving James, Lily and Harry with the two sleeping figures.

"James?" Lily whispered.

James stood, his eyes fixed on the doors.

A sniffle came from behind him, and he turned slowly to see Lily crying. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What for?"

Lily walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "He's jealous. He's jealous that you might care for me more than him. He's scared I'm going to replace him. I'm sorry that I made you act like you did."

"But nobody could replace him," James said in confusion.

"You and me know that. I reckon he knows it too."

"Then why-" began James.

Lily wiped a tear from her cheek. "I don't know James."

James's hand darted out and grabbed her hand. "You could tell him. He won't listen to me, but you-"

"James!" Lily dropped her other hand from his shoulder. "Just give him time and he'll realise how silly he's being."

"What if he doesn't?"

"If he's a true friend he'll realise it on his own." She smiled a tiny smile. For the first time the smile didn't make James's heart jump. In fact, it did nothing. "Don't give up on him and he won't give up on you. And speaking of giving up-" she glanced down. "I should never have given up on you."

Next moment she was on her toes, pressing her lips to his. James didn't feel ecstatic.

He felt her kiss, but it didn't touch him as he would have expected. It was very well to have the girl of his dreams kissing him, but if his friends and surrogate brothers didn't approve…

Lily moved back a step. "Don't give up James."

He looked at her. "Don't say that," he said softly. "A Marauder never gives up. And…and neither does a Potter."

James strode from the Hospital Wing, his only purpose to get his friend back.

In the Hospital Wing Lily turned to look at Harry who was still next to Peter's shoulder. "Never give up," she said to the baby, not sure if he'd understand.

Harry merely patted Peter on the cheek, a smile on his baby lips.

And just at that moment the Headmaster of Hogwarts strode into the Hospital Wing. His face was white and his eyes shone overly bright. "Where is Sirius Black?" He asked when he saw Lily standing there.

"He just left," Lily answered.

The Headmaster turned to the door where McGonagall, Professor Ourcirus and several people Lily did not know stood. "Everybody look for him."

The group left. "Professor?" asked Lily. "What's the matter?"

Dumbledore turned her looking particularly grave. "Mr Black is in a lot of trouble. The death Eaters want him killed. They're at the gates, trying to get in."

"But that's ok. I mean, all those protective charms- they won't be able to get in, right?" Lily asked.

"Ah, it would be. Except the wards have started to fail. They'll be gone in four hours. And once they're gone, we have only the walls of Hogwarts to protect us."

Dumbledore turned on his heel, motioning for her to follow. And with an open mouth she did.

And obviously, she left Harry behind.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I have to say this chapter's ok. Now don't kill me because of Sirius's tantrum. Remember what Voldemort is best at? Ruining friendships? Well, there's a prime example. And don't tell me that the arguement was too 'staged out'...it's very simular to an arguement I had a few years ago with a friend, so personally I don't think it looks staged (I was in the Sirius situation).**

**There's a hell of a lot of clues in this one...can you find them? Oh, did Sirius finally figure out the mystery of Harry? And will Hogwarts be plundered!**

**All in the next chapter!**


	22. The House Elf Knows

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 22: The House Elf Knows**

_I betrayed them with my body, but not with my soul_

_Did you really think I'd break away and make a gaping hole?_

_The walls are falling and the wards are crumbling,_

_It seems as if the world's tumbling._

_But the mistakes of the past are to be fixed forever,_

_Today will decide what's to be and what's to be never._

_The folk who are tied are obliged to preserve,_

_But the future means to move on for those who deserve._

_

* * *

_

Severus Snape heaved a sigh if relief as the pair disappeared around the corridor, and peered into the hospitable wing.

It was amazing nobody had seen him, and even more so that no one was looking for him. He felt his heart thump at Dumbledore's words. How foolish they all were.

Sirius Black was merely an ant in all of this...no, Sirius Black was a dog. Snape allowed himself a grim smile.

Snape had to admit to feeling young and foolish at the moment, hiding behind a door. Hiding in his own school.

But of course, it wasn't everyday that the Hogwarts wards fell. Snape could feel it. It was like that night weeks ago, when the whole castle had shaken with terror of having a breach.

If that was what had happened last time, Snape had a distinct feeling the castle might collapse this time around. And he wouldn't be entirely satisfied with the outcome, but...

Snape kept his eyes locked on a figure in the Hospital wing. Peter Pettigrew sat up, and mechanically got off the bed. Severus pressed himself closer to the wall. Pettigrew's state was unstable-Snape had seen his collapse as he returned to the grounds from within the forest after meeting with the Death Eaters.

Peter's eyes blankly settled on the baby on the bed, and picked it up. His lips made a sloppy smile, and he marched to the doors. Snape watched with distaste as the hapless Gryffindor marched off.

Now Snape could make his move.

* * *

James hurried along the corridor. He knew where Sirius would be, and James really needed to talk to Sirius. 

His mind whirled with a thousand thoughts, and James had the urge to shout. If not to vent his anger, but at least tell the voices to shut up. James's footsteps echoed off the walls and the castle seemed unnaturally still. James came to a painting of a bowl of fruit, and leaned towards the pear, tickling it.

The pear squirmed, and James fancied he could hear muffled laughter. The pear soon gave up, and revealed itself to be what it truly was- a doorknob. James grasped it firmly, and let himself in.

James's guess was right, and Sirius turned from his place at the table. His face darkened upon seeing who it was. "_Piss off,"_ he growled; turning back to the orange fruit he'd been preoccupied with.

"No."

Sirius wheeled around again, annoyance crossing his features. "I said, get out."

The house elves, sensing disturbance, skittered away.

"No," said James again, with much more conviction. "Something just happened there, and I want to know what it was."

Sirius rolled his eyes, complete carelessness displayed on his face. "I thought it was obvious. Oh! I forgot, you're too caught up with being _grown up_ to even notice when you lose a friend."

"You're still my friend."

"No I'm not. Didn't you hear me?"

James kept his resolve. "I consider you my friend Sirius. Just because I've got _other-"_

"WILL YOU JUST GIVE UP?" Sirius shouted. His voice turned cold, and his eyes bored into James. "Don't you get it? Don't you realise you've...you've...I've had enough!"

"No, I don't-"

Sirius had picked up whatever he was eating, and threw it. The orange fruit landed at James's feet, shattering and spraying orange all over James's legs. "What-what was that?" he gasped as a dozen house elves came charging to his aid.

"Papaya," Sirius said with satisfaction. "That'll stain. And since you're such a grown up boy, I think you can wash them yourself." Sirius turned to the house elves. "What did I say?"

"Not to help Master Potter, sir?" the closest said timidly, wringing its hands.

"Yes," Sirius hissed. "And what are you trying to do?"

The house elf glanced at its comrades. "Help Master Potter, sir?"

"Do what should you be doing?"

"Not helping Master Potter?"

"Exactly," Sirius said. The whole group of house elves retreated, looking forlorn.

James glared at his friend. "What is wrong with you Sirius?"

"Nothing. Everything. You."

James lifted his hands to the ceiling in exasperation. "Fine! I'm done!"

Sirius muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "good," but James ignored it. Lily's words had made so much sense, and James had let himself believe them.

A house elf was tugging at Sirius's leg, and after looking at his own trouser leg, James realised he had his own elf to contend with. "Yes?" James bit out with impatience. The house elf looked nervous, but after a pause it spoke.

"Master Black and Master Potter needs to go back to their common room," it squeaked, a hand clutching at the Hogwarts emblem on its clothing.

James frowned in confusion. "But it's breakfast time, why would we need to go-"

The house elf was starting to go pale, and was shaking. "Masters must go now! Masters must go!"

"Why?" Sirius demanded, taking the little hand off his pant leg.

The house elf seemed as if it weren't going to answer, but spoke. "Hogwarts in danger sirs, you must hide, must go to safety, sirs!"

James glanced at Sirius before dropping down to the elf's height. The house elf had lost all colour from its face, and its hands grabbed at James's robes to keep steady. The house elf looked James earnestly in the face.

"Hogwarts is in danger master Potter," the house elf breathed. "Us house elves can feel her tremble. Master Black and Master Potter needs to go to safety..."

"What's wrong?" James pressed. The house elf brought a hand to its mouth, shaking its head desperately. James placed a hand on the elf's shoulder-to encourage the elf perhaps. The house elf gave a terrified squeal, and popped out of sight. The one next to Sirius did the same. James stood up, only to see that every single house elf had gone- where there had been hundreds before, there were none.

James didn't spare any time for Sirius, and turned tail. He sprinted out of the kitchens, his heart pounding.

He trusted the house elves. Hogwarts was in danger.

And then the ground beneath his feet trembled, just as the house elf had said.

* * *

Peter held the baby to his chest, eyes vacant, as he moved briskly across the Entrance Hall. No one was around, which was quite odd, since there should be hundreds of students milling around for breakfast, but Peter made no sign of noticing this. He pushed his way outside onto the grounds, leaping down the last of the stairs and almost running across the lawns towards the gates. The group of Death Eaters assembled on the other side watched as the rather plump boy started to get red in the face, but he didn't slow until he came to the gates. He stopped, panting. 

Bellatrix dropped her hood, motioning to her comrades not to copy her. She eyed the baby in Peter's arms.

"That's it, is it, then?" she said, wrinkling her nose.

Peter stood stiffly, staring at a tree behind the group. Baby Harry snuggled closer to Peter- he didn't like this group of masked people.

"Answer me, dammit!" Bellatrix growled. "Is that the child our master wants?"

The figure next to her placed a calming hand on her arm. "Calm yourself, wife," the voice snapped, and Bellatrix glared at him, but bowed her head in silence. "I told you that cursing the boy to much might...well, I don't think there are that many babies in Hogwarts, hmmm?"

One of the group snickered, but silenced when nobody else followed.

The man who had calmed Bellatrix turned to where another, rather stooped Death Eater sat mumbling and poking their wand at the gates. "How are you faring?" he called.

The Death Eater stopped mumbling. "Less than four hours, they're falling fast. I don't get it..." The Death Eater scratched their head.

"What don't you get?" The man snapped.

"Well," the Death Eater said, standing up, "They really shouldn't be falling at all." The man's head twitched to the side, and then his companion continued. "I mean, with Dumbledore putting his own protections on top of-this really should be impossible."

"Well, continue."

The Death Eater nodded and kneeled down again to continue their task. Bellatrix grumbled. "Four hours; great. And Pettigrew's just going to sit on the other side of the gates until they open?"

"Yes," her husband snapped. "And you best wait patiently."

* * *

"You're lying, Professor," Lily Evans insisted, pacing. "The Hogwarts wards can't just drop away like that." 

The Headmaster watched with slight amusement as the Head girl continued to pace. "I assure you Miss Evans, they are, for reasons I cannot fathom."

Lily twirled around. "But...the Founders-they sealed the walls themselves. _You _warded the gates yourself. And you're trying to tell me that in less than three hours, they're just going to drop away as if they were never there?"

"That is correct."

"And the Death Eaters are just going to be able to come in here and do what ever they please? Even Voldemort, if he cared to come?"

"Yes, Miss Evans. You do realise this is the fifth time we've said this?"

Lily stopped pacing, her hands dropping to her sides. "It's just...I'd never imagine it to happen. It's like telling me that I'm not a witch and all of this is a dream."

"Now that would be astounding," Dumbledore agreed. "A rather fantastic dream it would have been, however."

Lily took a calming breath. "What will they do, when they get inside?"

"Kill all those who displease them, I suspect."

Lily trembled. "Would-would I d-displease them, Professor?"

"I imagine you would."

Lily wrung her hands. "What about-my friends?"

"If they got in the way."

Lily whimpered the next sentence. "And...And James? Sirius? Remus? Erm, Peter?"

"If they are foolish."

Lily gasped and hid her face in her hands. "Can we-can we fight them?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Dumbledore. Lily looked up to see him smiling at her, his eyes bright. "Will you fight?"

Lily gulped, but then raised her chin in a defiant stance. "Yes, Professor, I shall fight."

"Then make haste- find your friends, any who are willing to fight with you. And those who do not care to join you- hide them. The castle may no be able to protect you, but she is very apt at hiding those who seek not to be seen. There are other ways to be invisible than using a cloak."

Lily caught the knowing look in the Headmasters eyes. "Yes, Professor," she said, racing from the Headmaster's office.

* * *

Down in the kitchens, a house elf cleaned away the mess of papaya on the floor, shaking its head. Master Sirius Black had stormed out minutes before. The house elf was the only elf left in the kitchens- all of his fellows had gone to preserve the castle they were bound to serve. The castle had called them and they had obliged. The house elf straightened up and with a snap of his long fingers, the mess disappeared. He felt lucky he didn't feel the castle's pain. With a pop he appeared in a completely different place in the castle. 

The Room of Requirement moulded immediately to the elf's requirements. Along three of the walls were glass fronted displays. All through the room were glass boxes, almost like tanks, placed on top of stands. In each display or tank was a 3-dimensional view of different parts of the castle. The house elf moved to the largest tank, in the middle of the room. In it was a scale model of the castle and its grounds.

The house elf cast its eyes over the group at the gates. It then moved along the walls, watching as a group of first-year Raven claws tried to break out of their locked doors. A hysterical Head Girl racing through the corridors. Master Sirius Black unrolling a piece of parchment. Orders of the Phoenix converging to talk with the Headmaster. A sleeping werewolf in the Hospital Wing. So many scenes, all moving in synchrony with the real-life events.

Then at the end of the wall was an empty box. The house elf stopped at this display case, waiting. He knew it would start any moment.

When it did, the house elf nodded to itself, and popped away to tell his fellows that they need not try to save the Hogwarts wards.

Because they were meant to fall, and if they didn't something very bad indeed would happen.

* * *

**A/n: Well, I have a very good excuse for being late with this one: I lost all of my notes. I had about six pages worth of notes for the ending of this story, and lost all of them in my end of term excitement (Australian school term ended for a two week holiday this Friday) and since they included plot points I've been carrying throughout this whole story, plot points with which my story cannot make sense without. Luckily I found them under my bed next to my art essay and iPod. Now, this isn't the last chapter-I get the weird feeling I might hit the 25 mark. I don't know about you, but I'm excited. This chapter bounced around quite a bit, but I needed to set everything out for the… (Coughs to cover what was nearly a spill of the ending), which I'm sure you'll all love. Sirius is still being rude at the moment, but can you convince him to be nice to Jamie? If you want him to be good and save the day or something like that, vote!**

**Didn't I say the papaya would play a more important roll? Well, it will!**

**P. S. I advise you pay close attention to this chapter. Every breath each person took was important. **

**P.P.S. Yay, fixed up the error with their rulers! I shall be re-posting all the chapters I posted while they had this error, but none of the content will be different-it is merely to calm my perfectionist's soul.**


	23. The Chosen One

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 23: The Chosen One**

_Searching for a reason, a friend and a code_

_While a friend sits beside a lonely road_

_And the answer just calls in the dark_

_like the welcome noise of a dog's bark_

_Fight not with comrades but with evil's spawn_

_Here comes a battle day with the end of dawn_

_And he you do not expect will save the day_

_Or at least that's what I shall pray.

* * *

_

Sirius fell back onto his bed with a thump, the backs of his hands pressed to his forehead. The hot, seething anger at James was slowly ebbing away, leaving Sirius devastated in it's wake. He'd just lost his best friend, someone that, until today, he'd considered a sort of brother. Was it relief he felt? Or was it regret?

Something was sticking into his back. Sirius frowned, shifting. With a groan he rolled over, looking over his shoulder at where he'd being lying moments before. Nothing was there, but something was still sticking into him. Groaning again, Sirius pulled the Marauder's map from his pocket, not stopping to wonder why it was there. Sirius glared at the map.

He and James, along with Peter and Remus, had worked hard on this map. It was a sign of how hard they worked for each other.

Sirius wondered where James was right now. Probably kissing the new love of his life. Sirius glared at the map harder. Was a girl more important than him? Was a feeling of lust a better replacement for six years of friendship?

Sirius glanced around, even though he knew nobody else was around. He didn't know why, but he wanted to open the map. He pulled his wand out, and tapped the map smartly. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A phrase that usually made him smile, made him grimace. The map appeared, dots moving about as students got dressed for the day. Sirius didn't want to spend precious moments looking for his friend, and wrote on the map, using his wand as if it were a quill.

**Mr Padfoot wishes to search for Mr Prongs.**

But when the map answered, it was not by homing in on the figure of James as expected. Writing started to appear on the map, causing Sirius to almost fall off his bed.

_The Chosen One regrets to tell Mr Padfoot that Mr Prongs will never be found._

Sirius scrambled back onto the bed, staring dumbfounded at the words. The map should not be doing this...but yet it was. Nervously, he started to write with his wand again.

**Mr Padfoot would like to enquire as to why this is so. And while Mr Padfoot is at it, he would like to demand WHO ON EARTH ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE MARAUDER'S MAP?**

The writer, or _The Chosen One,_ as they had called themselves, took a while to answer.

_The Chosen One is the possessor of the Marauder's map at the present time, and has been using it for watching people. The Chosen One was very surprised when Mr Padfoot wrote on the Map. The Chosen One would like to ask Mr Padfoot if it is really him… and how old he is._

**Mr Padfoot is not satisfied with The Chosen One's answer, but will answer the Chosen One's questions. It is indeed Mr Padfoot, and Mr Padfoot is, of course, seventeen years old.**

_The Chosen One is very astounded. The Chosen One shall calm Mr Padfoot's heart by telling Mr Padfoot one thing. The Chosen One is in the future, and is the future possessor of the Marauders Map. The Chosen One did not know that the map possessed such abilities as letting different possessors of the map talk to each other, even more so, through time. The Chosen One has missed Mr Padfoot dearly._

**Mr Padfoot knows The Chosen One in The Chosen One's time?**

_The Chosen One verifies this. Sadly, the Chosen One must go now. Goodbye Mr Padfoot, and may you rest in peace._

All of the words on the map dissolved, leaving Sirius with a restless feeling in his stomach. That had been unsettling-way too unsettling. It did not pass his attention that _The Chosen One_ had used the phrase usually used on gravestones. _May you rest in peace. _It seemed innocent enough. Sirius shook his head, and began to manually look for James Potter.

* * *

The Headmaster looked gravely at all of those gathered in his office. "An hour," he said. "By then I expect all of my students, except some willing seventh years, to be locked in their House Common rooms, or somewhere equally safe. You shall be outside of the castle, ready to fight. Only retreat if you see the sign."

The assembled members of the Order of the Phoenix nodded, filing out.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward. "Why are you smiling?" she demanded. For indeed, the Headmaster was smiling softly.

He shook his head. "A house elf just alerted me about their actions towards the wards, as they are obligated to do what is best for the castle because of their bindings. It pleases me, that is all," he answered, still smiling.

Minerva McGonagall looked confused, but walked out. "If it pleases you, hopefully that means it is good news."

* * *

Lily ran down the corridor towards the Fat Lady, at the same moment as James appeared. "Oh, James!" Lily gasped, pausing to clutch her side. "James!"

James stopped in front of the Fat Lady, looking at her with a curious expression on his face. "Yes Lily?" he asked, a slight snap to his tone. The Fat Lady watched, keeping silent. Lily hobbled over to him, still clutching the sting in her side.

"The wards are falling," she gasped, looking up at him. "Death Eaters are coming into Hogwarts. Will you fight?"

James looked down at her, and she forced herself to stand tall. James stared at her for a moment.

"Fight?" he echoed at last, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

Lily nodded. "Yes, fight. For Hogwarts."

James continued to stare at her, and while Lily's annoyance grew, James was thinking. He was thinking back to when McGonagall had invited him to join the Order of the Phoenix after he left school. Was Lily part of it too? Was the reason he was being asked to fight was because he was going to be a member? How did Dumbledore even know he was going to be a member?

"Fine," he bit out. Then he smirked, an old habit. "Did you race across the school just to find me?"

Lily glared, her eyes blazing. "No, Dumbledore told me to get people to safety." She gave the Fat Lady the password.

"Aren't they safe in their common rooms?" James asked with interest, following her through the hole.

As soon as they entered the common room, students of all ages stood up, clamouring for attention, demanding an explanation as to why the portrait had been sealed, and the castle shaking. Lily shook her hands the air to get their attention, her temper flaring when nobody quietened. "SHUT UP!" she screamed, and the crowd grew silent, staring at the normally well-mannered head girl in shock. "Now, once you have quite finished impersonating a bunch of headless chickens-"

James covered up a snicker.

Lily scowled at him and turned to the crowd. "Hogwarts is in danger, and in less than three hours, Death Eaters will be able to roam the grounds. My duty as head girl is to make sure you are protected as best possible." She eyed every student. "You will be safe in this common room-for about an hour. Which isn't good enough. So I'd like all of you to follow me-if you know of anyone who is still in their dormitory, get them now."

A few students darted up the stairs, arriving back seconds later with yawning friends. Lily turned and headed out the portrait hole, a bemused James hot on her heels. "Will you please tell me where the hell we're going?" he panted as they practically raced up a flight of stairs, the whole of Gryffindor house following.

"Go to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dorms, get the prefects to take all the students to the seventh floor corridor-I'll meet you there," Lily said shortly. James crinkled his nose at her shortness, but turned, heading for the Ravenclaw rooms.

* * *

House-elves swarmed the Great Hall, taking their places around the walls, placing their hands on the aged stone, when another house elf burst into the hall, crying out.

"You must not, you must not!" it squeaked, frenzied. The house elves all turned, perplexed. the house elf continued. "The time-the time!"

The house elf closest to the door pulled its hands from the walls. "The time- it -it has come?"

"Doot can feels it! And I saw it, in the Come and Go Room!" replied the newcomer.

"But she screams," another house elf whimpered, clutching its rags. "Doot can't feel it, but she screams, and we can feel it Doot."

Doot the house elf nodded. "Doot knows that he can't feel it," he said in a gentler tone. "Doot is not bound to Hogwarts. Don't listen to her scream. She is only having a nightmare. She has had them before."

One of the house elves on the far side of the Hall came storming up, and poked Doot in the chest with a long, thin finger. Doot reeled back from the impact, but managed to get his footing. The angry house elf spoke, it's high-pitched voice shaking. "Hogwarts isn't dreaming anymore. Her nightmare is coming true, Doot! We have to stop it!"

Doot stamped his foot in frustration. "No."

House elves had taken their hands from the walls, crowding around the commotion, and Doot continued. "We must let it happen, we must!"

The house elf who'd just poked him seemed to waver. "How can Doot be sure? Doot says it himself, he cannot feel her scream. How can Doot claim to know what's best for her?"

"Doot just said why. The time has come!"

The house elf cringed, clutching it's chest, obviously in pain. A few others put their hands over their ears as if they could hear some tremendous noise that hurt them. "But how?" The house elf repeated, shaking from the effort of disobeying the castle.

"The baby isn't on the map anymore," Doot answered quietly. "The nightmare will soon end."

* * *

Bellatrix nudged her husband, her eyes narrowing. The castle was far off, but even from her place at the gates Bellatrix could see something...some movement...

"Shit!" swore the Death Eater who was kneeling, playing with the wards. "They've noticed us."

Rabastan Lestrange kicked the Death Eater, growling. "It doesn't matter. They can't stop us." The Death Eater whimpered, clutching his stomach, looking up at Rabastan. Rabastan gave him one last kick and he turned, wincing, back to the gates.

Bellatrix nodded, moving closer to the bars and pressing her face against them. Something like a breeze seemed to push her back, but it wasn't strong. She smirked, and commanded the Gryffindor slumped on the lawn on the side of the path leading up to the castle. "Pettigrew." The Gryffindor ignored her, and she raised her voice. "PETTIGREW. Get over here!"

Pettigrew raised his head, using one hand to rub the dark circles under his eyes. Then, clutching Harry close to himself, he staggered to his feet and moved over, shaking. He stopped three yards from the gates, eyeing Bellatrix warily. Then, something passed through his eyes and he stuck out his tongue in a weak effort to anger her. Bellatrix's nostrils flared and she shrieked. Peter soon gave up his mockery, and quietly stood. Harry pressed his face into Peter, trembling along with his carer.

Meanwhile, McGonagall and about fifty Order of the Phoenix members strode purposefully towards the gates, forming a line, and holding out their wands. Bellatrix laughed, and called up to them. "I'm going to enjoy this!"

McGonagall, held a hand up to her comrades. "It's not worth it yet. She's just trying to break your focus," she warned, shooting a look along the lines. A few members took a step back, averting their eyes in shame. Bellatrix cackled madly at them, amused greatly by how they fought, even before battle.

In her place in line, McGonagall wondered what the Headmaster was doing, but it was surely save the day, no doubt. She just hoped he'd do it soon.

* * *

James and Lily called for attention. Nearly all of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw students were assembled on the seventh floor corridor, along with a few Slytherins (none above fifth year), and all were nervously chatting. Lily yelled above the din, and soon everyone was quiet. "Right," she said. "As you are probably aware, we are all in danger. Before I get you to safety, I have a request. Any able bodied seventh years who would like to fight for Hogwarts, please stay in the corridor. Think on this properly-there is a very good chance you could get hurt...or worse. Don't do it because your friends are doing it. Don't do it because it's what expected of you. Any of you who stay behind will have equal responsibility-to look after the students." She took a breath. "Bless you all."

Lily saw, out of the corner of her eye, James raising an eyebrow. She looked at everyone, trying to catch their eyes to convey the urgency of the situation. "Please close your eyes."

There was much murmuring at this, but after some shouting, everyone closed their eyes, although some were rather reluctant. Lily nudged James, who closed his eyes uncertainly. Slowly, Lily closed her own and opened her mouth to speak.

"Listen to my voice," she said soothingly. "Listen to nothing but my voice unless I tell you otherwise."

A calm quiet came over the crowd, and Lily continued. "You are in danger. You need to hide. I want you to think of nothing but a perfect place for you to hide. A place that's safe, where no one will find you. Keep thinking of this place."

Lily opened her eyes and looked up at the crowd. Some people had scrunched up their faces, while others looked to be in bliss. Lily turned her head, and stifled a gasp. Where a blank wall had been, was a huge painting. In the painting was many shadows, but if she looked carefully, she could see a figure hiding in the shadows. As she watched, the figure stepped into the light. They wore a long pair of robes that seemed to be a shadow itself, and wore a mask. The figure- neither man nor woman, bowed to Lily, and spoke in a whisper.

_"You seek a place beyond my doors,_

_That none have ever known before_

_My students have requested a place to hide_

_Somewhere safe in a place none will find_

_And I comply._

_But to enter this place that isn't here,_

_You must think beyond your fear._

_Give me the pass code and I'll let you through,_

_Get it wrong- and none will survive but few_

_Think and it will come to you."_

Lily gaped, trying to think, when someone touched her arm. She turned to see James. "You opened your eyes," she hissed angrily, and he shrugged apologetically.

"Do you know the pass code?" he asked, glancing at the figure. The figure bowed to him. Lily shook her head.

"I have no idea-it says to think and it'll come to you." Lily glanced over at the crowd, which had started to move uneasily, but still had their eyes closed.

James squeezed his eyes shut, and let out a growl. "Wish Sirius was here-he's good at stuff like this-getting past passwords and stuff." James looked hopelessly up at the portrait.

"Looking for me?" a voice called, and Lily and James- along with the whole crowd- turned to see Sirius at the end of the corridor, pushing his way to get to James. He held a grin on his face and the Marauder's map in his hand, and turned to the portrait. He looked down at the map, then back to the portrait.

"The Chosen One," he said, a hint of apprehension in his voice. The figure stood still for a moment, then bowed one last time, and the portrait swung open. Lily waved people in, and students flowed into the hiding place. Ten seventh years stood outside, resolve on their faces. James turned to his friend.

"How did you know?" James asked. "The password- who on earth could have thought that up?"

Sirius shrugged, showing James the map. Some ink seemed to be smudged in the top corner...but upon closer inspection, James saw it was some words.

_The Chosen One._

The portrait swung shut with a bang, and James looked to the figure, frowning in confusion- how did it know about the Marauder's map?

"_Think and it will come to you," _it said simply, walking backwards, merging into the shadows.

James looked at Sirius. "I thought of you-and you turned up..."

Sirius let out a barking laugh. "Aw, how sweet!" he winked at Lily.

"Aren't you angry-with James-and me?" she asked, averting her eyes. He had seemed awefully enraged when they'd last met-and a lot of it had been caused by her. Sirius brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

"Only for a little while-" Sirius looked at the map. "I think we'd be best needed at the gates-" his face turned pale. "James, I think you should look at this…"

James and Lily crowded closer to the map- the other seventh years glanced at each other in bewilderment.

And there, on the map, just next to the gates, was Peter Pettigrew. And on the other side were the Death Eaters.

And as the three watched, the gate faded off the map, and all hell broke loose.

* * *

**a/n: F i n a l l y. Well, as the procrastinating person that I am, I shall give my excuse for the lateness of this chapter before anything else: well, it's more than one reason. First, I was enjoying the last week of my holiday, and secondly, as soon as I got around to finishing this chapter off (it sat there for about four days three-quarters done) my internet died because of my father installing a fan...it's thirty-eight degrees Celsius at the moment, so you can't blame me for feeling a bit woozy. WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING? GLOBAL WARMING, THAT'S WHAT! So people, for the sake of keeping me alive to write in future, please be nice to the environment. **

**Finally is summing up my mood at the moment. Finally I finished this chapter. Finally the holidays are over (it's boring, believe it or not). Finally I get to write the next chapter, where there will dead bodies (or not, I wouldn't be able to kill anyone-not because of me being squeamish-but because of canon) and lots of fighting.**

**I told you Sirius could save the day. I just didn't say it was going to be very dramatic. I want to hug Doot at the moment (kill me because I entered a character so late in the story, I don't care), he's so cute and smart. The Chosen One was a stroke of late inspiration and I'm a bit worried since I've lost track of Snape.**

**Reviews, comments, begging and hate mail are all gladly accepted.**


	24. The Battle

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 24: The Battle**

_March forward my loyal friend_

_Watch out there's a step behind the bend_

_Through the trees, down a path_

_And in the bleakest time may you laugh._

_But something's wrong, _

_I've forgotten the lyrics to the saviour song_

_I'm sorry but what's coming will come_

_No longer have you the choice to run_

_Step up beyond your fear_

_I tell you now, the end is near.

* * *

_

Sirius looked up with a steely resolve, his eyes glinting. "Well," he said, his voice sounding hollow. "I suppose we are going to fight now."

James laughed in the same, hollow tone. "Yeah...wow-I never-I mean...us...fighting, for Hogwarts..."

Lily turned, as if to get away from the thoughts, and beckoned the other seventh years over. "We'll be going now- Sirius put that thing away..."

Sirius shrugged, but didn't put the map into his pocket, holding it tight. The group walked through the halls, the sounds of their footfalls sounding like the beat of a large, loud drum, beating along with their hearts.

"I hope Peter's alright," James said when they reached the third floor.

"Yeah, Sirius said, and the group paused a moment as the castle shook. The tremors ended as abruptly as they started, and they moved on again. "Do you think they...they probably kidnapped him!" his voice shook, and he looked at James with panic. "This is my fault! I-I-"

"It's nobody's fault," Lily interrupted soothingly. "Nobody could have foreseen this...but we've got to hold strong. There isn't anything else."

Another student (Ravenclaw, if James could remember correctly) agreed with a nod of his head. "She's right. This was inevitable." They gave James and Sirius a sad shrug. "Peter's the short guy, isn't he?"

James nodded, his mind already reeling through ideas of what the Death Eaters may be doing to his friend. Torturing him. Questioning him. Hurting him.

Killing him.

James shook his head, growling. He would not think of that. Sirius had his nose buried in the map, no doubt watching the battle as it unfolded. They were on the second floor when the Ravenclaw boy threw out his arms, his eyes wide. The party came to an immediate halt and James followed his gaze. A cat sat in their path, eyes glittering and tail swishing.

"Mrrrroew!" Mrs Norris screeched, and James felt his heart drop into his stomach. Just what they needed! Surely nobody would have thought to tell Filch what was happening, or at least all he would know was that students were not to be out of their dorms in any circumstance.

James was right. Before any of them had the sense to run, Filch arrived, wheezing and cackling madly, a rather impressive feat. "Ha! I got you!"

The caretaker's eyes landed on Sirius, who was holding a now folded map, and James. With glee the man leapt forwards, snatching the map from Sirius's fingers. His eyes flickered to Mrs Norris, his beloved cat, and he looked back at the parchment, saying, "My lovely, I wonder what these wretched students have here? A dark item perhaps? Something illegal? Trying to smuggle it out, were we?"

Lily jumped to their defence at once. "No, sir, it's just some spare parchment, honestly it is-"

Filch's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so! Do I look stupid to you? What are you doing wondering the corridors when it's _forbidden?"_

Lily bit her lip, unsure. "We're going to help the Professors, Sir."

"A likely story. As if students would help _Professors,"_ Filch sneered, enjoying his power over the miserable group.

"Yeah, it's so likely it's true!" Sirius spoke up, and James noticed the warning signs that his friend was about to blow his top with anger... "So let us past you useless Squib!"

Lily gasped a little as Sirius bodily pushed Filch out of the way. "Sirius Black! That is no way-"

Sirius turned, snarling. "We don't have the bloody time to argue. Filch, I suggest you go and hide somewhere-guys, _come on!"_ He stressed the last two words, and after a couple of apologetic looks in Filch's direction, the party chased the now jogging Sirius down into the Entrance Hall.

"The map-" James panted, but Sirius silenced his with a hand gesture, pointing at the doors. Loud booms could be heard through the thick wood. Sirius placed his hand on the doors, swearing softly.

"They've locked us in! Dammit!" A Hufflepuff kicked the door, and hobbled afterwards, scowling even deeper than Sirius was.

James looked at the door, then pivoted around and walked towards the marble staircase. "Fourth floor, people, now."

Lily scrunched up her nose in confusion. "What, the library? The bathroom?"

Sirius spoke up. "No, a secret passage. It opens up in the Quiddich changing rooms-that is what you're thinking, isn't it James?" James nodded, and soon the group arrived, winded and red in the face, in front of a mirror on the fourth floor.

"So this is it?" asked the Ravenclaw boy, eyeing his own reflection with apprehension. Sirius ignored him, bowed to the mirror and spoke, his tone, although out of breath, bored and monotonous.

"Mirror mirror on the wall, will you let us through at all?"

The mirror dissolved and James pushed the seventh years in, and in single file they proceeded onwards. The mirror faded back into view behind them, making it dark belong belief in the passage. Everyone lit their wands. The walls were a single shade of grey, and Lily was sure she saw a mouse blink at her in the sudden light before squeezing itself through a crack in the giant stone bricks. They moved on, silent except for the occasional "stairs coming up," or "jump the next bit, there's a hole in the floor," from Sirius, who was leading them.

"God," Lily groaned as she stood in the middle of the Quiddich changing rooms. "This place stinks. Don't you ever get a cleaner in, James?"

James shrugged. The ground was vibrating gently under his feet. "Right, we need to organise quickly, as I'm sure they need us-"

"You, organise?" Lily said with cynical voice and expression.

James rolled his eyes onto her. "Yes, me. Now- you, you and Alice-" he pointed to each person in turn, "Will keep close to the castle, and go down the pathway towards the gates. You three Hufflepuffs, through the pumpkin patch. Me, Sirius and Lily will go through the edge of the forest-the rest of you-" he pointed to the four students left over, "you go down the path from the castle too, but wait fifteen minutes. You'll be a surprise."

Much to Lily's shock, everyone nodded solemnly, and she was taken gently by the arm out. The three of them-James, Sirius and her- sprinted for the cover of trees the Forbidden Forest provided, and walked towards the gates behind the first row of trees. The sun was creeping higher in the sky, but opposite was a wall of black clouds, a phenomenon Lily had never seen before. It was if the clouds, with all their darkness, were marching over the sky to battle with the mighty, yet smaller, sun. Lily shivered, quickening her pace.

The ground shook almost soothingly beneath their feet, were it not for the fact that it alerted them to how much in danger they really were. James suddenly cut further into the trees, and they spent five minutes trudging forward, marching through the undergrowth, towards what could only be a battle.

"I think we go closer now," Sirius whispered, and they started to move again towards the edge of trees, darting from trunk to trunk as the sounds of the battle became clearer. Red, green, blue and other assorted lights was randomly head their way, flying through the trees. Lily knew they were not directed for them, but it unnerved her, as she jumped out of the way of a vicious looking spell which appeared much simular to a bludger, hurtling through the trees, if it were not for the fact it was glowing violet. The ball slammed itself into a young sapling, which instantly turned to dust.

They were darting from trunk to trunk now like rabbits, and then they saw the battle. They were surprizingly close, and Lily wondered why nobody could see them. She could distinguish her friend Alice in the throng, and a small pang of guilt sprung in her chest for bringing everyone into this, but she pushed it down quickly. She didn't have time for errant emotions.

James suddenly turned to Sirius, and the pair stared at each other. A moment later they were giving each other a firm hug, a manly pat on the back and some complex handshake that Lily supposed only their group of friends knew. They finished by spitting onto the tree- Lily gave a small exclamation of disgust- and said, "Right, let's get this over with."

"And kick some arse!" Sirius finished, bounding out of the trees before Lily could even point out to him that they actually had the advantage of cover. James, seeing her hesitation, held back as his friend initiated a fight with a very short dark robed figure.

"You ok?" he asked, with apathy. Lily nodded.

"We've got an advantage here. They didn't really notice where Sirius came from and they don't know we're here," Lily said logically. "I think I should wait a couple of minutes to see who's winning before I make it seem as if the trees are shooting spells at them."

"You know, it's ok to be scared," James said, completely misinterpreting her shaking voice. "If it makes you feel better, I really need to go to the toilet."

Lily couldn't believe it when she giggled. Giggled! "I'm not scared...not _really_, anyway. I'm just...worried. And guilty. I brought everyone into this. I could have ignored Dumbledore..."

"You wouldn't do that," James said with conviction. "I know you wouldn't. You're a very kind person Lily. You didn't do anything to be blamed for."

Lily gave him a smile, her eyes shiny with tears, "Thanks. You're...you're a good person too...for a bloke."

James shook his head, inspecting the tree for a moment. "I think that was a compliment." He took a deep breath in when Lily wrapped her arms around him, squeezing with all her might.

"I'm glad you're here," she mumbled into his chest, embarrassed by her actions. She pulled away quickly, saying. "We should start-" she stopped dead, eyes locked on the scene.

James peered over her shoulder. "What is it?"

Lily's bottom lip wobbled. Then she whispered, "I think I've found Peter Pettigrew, James."

James squinted, searching. "I don't see him, where is he, Lily-" He paused, seeing her pale face, "Lily?"

Her hand clutched onto his arm. "He's got Harry. Oh dear god, he's got Harry."

"Harry..." James tried to process this information, "Who's got Harry...wait, Harry's supposed to be with you!"

Lily bit her lip, "I left him in the Hospital Wing...but if _he's_ got Harry then he must have...oh my..."

James frowned, "Please explain. I'm lost."

Lily pointed, and as she spoke James saw what she saw, and it didn't make his heart beat fast; it didn't make his stomach drop. His heart and stomach-along with everything else inside of him- seemed to have shrivelled up. "Peter's got Harry."

Peter sat next to the gate, the baby in his arms, wailing as loud as he could. Peter rocked back and forth in fear, eyes wide and locked on where Sirius jumped around to save his life.

"We have to save them!" James said, about to jump out from behind the tree, only to be held back by Lily.

"James! Stop and think for a moment will you? Nobody's even _trying _to hurt them. Don't you think..." she glanced at the ground, but then raised her eyes to meet his, "Don't you think that's a little bit odd?"

"Who cares-maybe he is hurt, and they've left him to die-we've got to go, now Lily!"

Lily didn't let go of him, "James, somehow I don't think so."

"How can you say that without checking first?!"

"James, I can just feel it. Something is wrong about him being there," Lily said, her voice low and frightened.

James looked back helplessly at Peter, slumped at the gates, and it was his turn to grip Lily's arm very tightly, so much she hissed in pain. Following his gaze however, she silenced, and a great urge to run and hide overtook her. Her legs shook with the effort of staying put. Lily watched as McGonagall lifted her head, and quickly everyone else stopped. Enemies stood yards from each other, but neither made a move to harm the other.

Because someone had arrived just outside the gates. The clouds which had only covered half the sky minutes ago now pressed down, the air expectant and freezing cold. The sun had been smothered, and a noticeable decrease in light bathed the scene.

The newcomer stepped through the gates and lowered their hood, surveying the still battle with an empty gaze. Their eyes seemed to linger a second longer than usual in Lily's direction, and she got the weird sense that he could _see _her. But that was ridiculous- she was behind a huge tree! A shadow seemed to pass over her soul at that moment, quelling all fear, but leaving her helpless.

A wand was pointed in Peter's direction. The boy was shaking so hard it was surprising that he could still hold onto Harry.

"Get up," the person commanded, indifferent.

Peter scrambled to his feet, and the shaking became more pronounced, his eyes popping from their sockets in fear.

Lord Voldemort's lip curled and he said softly, yet all could hear, "Give me the baby, I want to hold him when I kill him."

Peter gave a sob and passed Harry over, and the child screamed and kicked as if the world was coming to an end. Perhaps it was, for him.

A crack of thunder rumbled in the air as Lily bunched up her fists, feeling useless to the plight of her ward. She wanted to save him, because in the time she had cared for him, she had come to care deeply for the misplaced child. She thought she might even love him. Thunder rolled again, and Voldemort raised his wand to cast the curse.

* * *

**A/N: Oh please please please let me update soon. I'm a very naughty writer. Very naughty. Who cares if my whole future lays within the scores of my yearly examinations? Who cares that my education will be forfeited? As long as I update quickly, what's there to worry about? (Of course, if you can't pick up the sarcasm, this will go completely over your head).**

**Next week is going to be very busy. I have a two hour workshop on Monday. Two hours of Tennis on Tuesday. A Design and Tech project which goes towards my yearly mark on Wednesday is going to be started. A Maths Exam and English Exam on Thursday. Don't even ask about Friday. If I look that far into the future I'll become depressed…if I'm not already. Oh, and my inner eye needs cleaning.**

**I'm teeming with ideas for the next chapter, so much that I want to explode, but if all of the above get in the way, I'll give you my sincere apologies. My lateness if becoming a bad habit- a bad habit not unlike the one where I'm buying a cake very afternoon. Tut tut tut. No wonder I look like an much older version of lil' pudgy Hawwy with blond hair.**

**We haven't got long to go, but so much for me to put in! You'll really like the next chapter. I promise. The answer to Peter, to Snape, and of course what will happen to Harry, will all be answered. Oh, and those things in the Shrieking Shack? Don't forget them either. Have fun making theories!**

**If you're bored, or not bored, go and see THE LAST CHAPTER of a story in my profile page called "My Tall Dark Stranger"; even though the story is being deleted, (please do not read the rest of the story, you admiration for me will decrease very much) there is a sneak preview of the story I will release after _Sitting On The Baby_ is finished, and I'm quite proud of it. It's like… a teaser trailer. Not the start, not the end, but part of it. Oh, and on the subject of teaser trailers, Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix teaser comes out on 20th November. Aren't we excited?**


	25. Army of Apparitions

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 25: Army of Apparitions**

_I can't let this happen, since it's not right_

_We know it when the day becomes dark as night_

_I'll run to your aid because I want to save_

_I'm not a coward, but I'm not very brave_

_Then the ghosts came parading_

_The love in their hearts a red light fading_

_And the ones I love might be lost forever_

_As the saying goes, "It's now or never."

* * *

_

_She wanted to save him, because in the time she had cared for him, she had come to care deeply for the misplaced child. She thought she might even love him. Thunder rolled again, and Voldemort raised his wand to cast the curse._

Four seventh year students stood impatiently near the steps to the castle. They were the group James had instructed to wait quarter of an hour before going to the battle. One of them looking at their wrist intently; one trying to see what was happening; one pacing and the last humming a little tune. "Will you stop it?" exclaimed the pacing student, a Ravenclaw with dark hair and eyebrows.

The whistler, another Ravenclaw with ash-blonde hair, stopped her tune, looking at him, "Is it disturbing you?"

The Ravenclaw boy snorted and started his well worn path.

"Two minutes," the time keeper announced. "Merlin, this is so..."

"Annoying!" cried the pacing Ravenclaw, who had spun around to face his house mate, who was whistling again. She stopped again, giving him a meek smile. The Ravenclaw stopped his pacing, pausing next to her. "Something is wrong, I can feel it." Both held their wands tightly in their hands.

"You think?" she said, and he didn't notice the sarcasm, nodding in agreement. A breeze blew about them, and the girl hugged herself, shivering. She looked up to the sky. In the last five minutes the almost non-existent cloud cover had covered the sun, the late morning suddenly dark. The clouds were literally black, pressing heavily. The pair watched the sky, and they could almost see the clouds moving. "It's very cold," the girl commented.

"Yeah," the boy answered. "Strange, I've never seen clouds behave like this-they're-they're...swirling!"

The clouds had indeed started a slow swirl clockwise, and for a panicked moment, the girl cried, "It's a hurricane! A cyclone! A tornado!"

"Don't be stupid," the time keeper snapped, "We don't get those around here-" He halted, because a hole had appeared in the middle of the swirling mass...and if his eyes were not deceiving him, the hole (which looked to be the size of a basket ball) was above the place where he knew the battle to be taking place. "One minute," the time keeper checked his watch. Tendrils of cloud started to move downwards, a whirlwind a hundred feet above their heads spinning faster...faster...and faster...

"There are no more stray spells!" screamed the girl who was trying to see what was happening. "I think-I think...they've stopped fighting!"

"Thirty seconds...want to go early?" suggested the time keeper.

There was no answer, the four starting towards the gates in a silent mutual agreement, their walk turning to a jog, their jog into a full out run. From behind them, a voice called.

"WAIT!!!!"

The four turned, to see Severus Snape, well known as the vicious Slytherin of seventh year, running towards them. Given the circumstances, they had all rights in the world to turn their wands on him. Snape slowed and halted in front of them, hands on his knees, black oily hair flopping into his face as he panted. "S-stop." His hand was buried in his pocket, fingering an item.

"What do you want?" Snarled the very annoyed Ravenclaw boy, his wand almost touching Snape's nose.

Snape stood up straight, his superior height allowing him to look down at the group down his impressive nose. "The battle is waging, am I correct?"

"Yes, and we're going to bloody miss it if we keep on dilly-dallying," snapped the timekeeper, who lowered their wand a bit.

Snape glanced up at the sky, and his eyebrows furrowed. "Nasty weather, didn't see-oh, fine," he snapped at the quartet's faces. "Let's go."

"Who died and made you king?" Snapped the Ravenclaw boy.

"Prince, actually," Snape said, a hint of a smile on his lips, but he didn't look at any of them. "I hope that idiot hasn't done anything stupid-"

The group turned the bend in the path, and slowed to a halt. "What idiot-?" began the Ravenclaw girl, but her words died away on the fiercely blowing wind.

The battle was not really a battle, merely a crowd of foes standing near each other, wands directed vaguely at their opponent's knees. Right inside the gate stood a man, a boy...and a child within the man's arms. Lord Voldemort had raised his wand above the child, and the group realised, with a cold pang in their chests, what the beast of a Dark Lord was about to do.

He was going to murder a child.

Snape's face had gone rather still, and his dark eyes were glued to the sight. His eyes then slid to Peter Pettigrew, the boy sho stood trembling in front of the dark Lord. Severus Snape's hand gripped the wand in his hand tightly, his knuckles going white.

Wind blew through the gates, the clouds in the sky swirling, thunder rolling loudly, and Snape squinted, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. But they were not.

Behind the horrendous scene, beyond the gates, an army was marching up the path to the school. And it wasn't any army. It was an army of ghosts, or something similar. Snape could hear faint voices on the wind, words that made no sense. They seemed to be snatches of conversations.

_"I can't stay here anymore...For goodness sake, RUN...I saw my dad...This has got to be the best pie I've ever eaten...I know nothing can bring them back to life...Hermione, sometimes I just wish I could go back in time...Ron, you look like a papaya...How should I know? I was only a baby at the time...What if it were different...Hasn't changed much, has he...I'm having the same dream, over and over...It hurts, my scar, it hurts...THEN - I - DON'T - WANT - TO - BE - HUMAN...why do you think it's shaped like a lightening bolt...Maybe I'll have my own baby one day...I love you..."_

Snape, it seemed, was not the only person to notice. Gasps ran through the crowd of ex-battlers, and Voldemort had lowered his wand, eyeing the ghostly, transparent, yet coloured figures with interest. The mirages walked through the gates, walking through the crowd, some walking high in the sky, others naturally on the ground, all speaking, all acting out scenes...all the same person. It was a boy, one that Snape would have mistaken any day for his rival, James Potter, were it not for the strange lightening-bolt shaped scar on the illusion's forehead. It was a scar that Snape remembered.

The baby in Voldemort's arms possessed the same scar. The baby Snape had been ordered to watch ever since news came of him. Harry. Little baby Harry. And now Snape knew his last name, for it could only be one person.

Harry Potter.

How or why Potter had a child was beyond what Snape could fathom. Snape recalled his master's words of weeks passed_. "It is vital that you bring this child to me."_

"_But, my Lord, could I inquire as to why-?"_

"_Just bring him to me. He is valuable," _The Dark Lord had said, and dismissed Snape. Which is what Snape had done. With much effort on his part.

Peter Pettigrew trembled still, gazing up with a blank look on his face at the Dark Lord.

Snape noticed the figures forming a large ring around the battle, all standing still and silent. Snape lowered his wand.

In the trees, Lily turned her eyes, now wide, to James in shock. "You never told me you had a baby!"

James frowned at her. "What do you mean?" He asked incredulously.

Lily waved her hand at the wall of transparent figures. "Isn't it obvious? We both know now that Harry is your _son,_ James. Who else could he be? He looks just like you! That's Harry Potter. So clearly, you're a father! Why didn't you tell anyone?! Dumbledore's been searching all this time for his parents, when you're right...here!"

James continued to stare blankly at her. "But he can't be. I can't-can't...I'm a bloody virgin, Lily!"

Lily placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah, sure, you expect me to believe that?" she said angrily. "You probably knocked up some muggle girl during the summer holidays while you were both drunk! I can't believe you!"

"But he's got your eyes," said James slowly, "haven't you...oh dear Merlin," he pointed at the scene, and Lily followed his hand with her gaze. Peter had stood up ram-rod straight, and spoke, his words carrying over to the pair behind the tree.

"You monster!" Peter spat, reaching forward for Harry. Voldemort laughed, his wand twitching slightly.

"Crucio!"

Peter collapsed, spasms running through his body along with screams.

James didn't think. James didn't stop. He charged out of the trees, bellowing, yelling, his wand out in front of him. "Expelliarmus!!!"

Voldemort had seen him before he had the chance to scream off this spell, and a vindictive sneer was on his face as his wand turned from Peter, to James. James fell to the ground crying out in pain, the same instant the friend he was trying to save went mostly silent, making small gasping whimpers as he struggled to sit up. Peter cast unfocused eyes onto James, mouth open in horror. James thrashed, his head hitting repeatedly on a rock in the ground.

Harry squirmed in the monster's arms, instinctively wanting to get out, to get away, tears streaming down his small cheek from the pain in his scar.

Lily stood behind her tree, unnoticed, and she felt as if her heart had exploded.

Voldemort would not do this anymore. Lily was going to make him stop.

Snape grasped the Ravenclaw girls' elbow, pulling her with him, as he strode quickly, his strides becoming longer and faster until he was running. He wasn't going to get there in time...

The apparitions started moving, swarming towards Lord Voldemort. They were silent, but all held the same look of rage on their features. The Dark Lord gave a cry of surprise, dropping the baby in his arms. Harry wailed, falling.

Lily stepped out of the trees, and everything froze. The ghostly figures paused, drifting a few feet away from the Dark Lord, yet still surrounding him; the sky stopped swirling, and Harry floated in mid air. James lay on the ground, face in the grass, broken glasses beside his head and he didn't move. Lily couldn't see him breathing.

No.

She looked at Lord Voldemort, green eyes meeting red. Voldemort gave her a sadistic smile. "Aww, look. The mother has come," he drawled, eyes raking over her.

Lily's resolve and anger clouded a moment with confusion, then her eyes flicked to Harry, who had come to a gentle rest on the ground near Peter's head. The baby had sat up unsteadily, watching her. Watching her just like everyone else was, she realised. Watching her and realising the truth.

Harry was her child. He had her eyes.

She didn't understand. It was impossible for her to have a son. But she knew, with utmost certainty, that he was her son. And even if he wasn't, she loved him.

A heaven have mercy on those who hurt those she loved.

It was like somebody else was controlling her actions, as her wand raised. Her mouth formed words she wasn't sure of, ready to cast a spell she'd never even heard of. All she was aware of was her anger, her hate, her love. Harry sitting on the grass, his tiny hand on Peter's hair as the plump boy gasped. James's still body. Her Professors, her fellow classmates, the Death Eaters. Where was Dumbledore?

"LILY EVANS!" She turned, looking up the slope, to see Severus Snape drawing something from his pocket. The Slytherin flung the object, and Lily reached out, catching it. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it, but instinctively she held the feather up for Voldemort to see.

The feather was about half the length of her arm, a rich scarlet red with golden flecks along it. It was stiff, in shape, yet soft at the same time. It was one of the most beautiful things Lily had ever seen. It was a phoenix feather.

Voldemort let out a cold chuckle. "My dear, you don't even know what you're doing." He spread his hands, "What do you think you are going to do with a feather? Poke me in the eye? Face it," he breathed, stepping towards her, "You've got no way out, no one can help you…give up."

Lily clenched the feather in her hand, trying her hardest not to show this man that he was right, forcing her fear down. The feather started to glow, and she glanced over at baby Harry. Harry was glowing too, a bright red ball surrounding him. She remembered the glow- it was the same glow that had surrounded him the day he'd arrived on the train. Lily's eyes rose to look at the ghostly figures, which were glowing also, smiling at her quietly. One, which looked to be seventeen or eighteen, dipped his head.

"Go on mum. Do what you have to do. I'm with you."

Lily turned wide, shining eyes to Voldemort, and did something she wouldn't have thought possible with the amount of fear she felt. She grinned. "No one hurts my baby," she growled, stepping forward. "No one. Not you." She passed by James's body, goose bumps raising on her arms. She reached Peter, who looked up at her with apologetic eyes. She kneeled beside him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Snape cursed me-I tried to fight it, I really-" Lily rested a hand on his cheek.

"It's not your fault. We all make our choices," she whispered back. She glanced over her shoulder at Snape, whose face was that of a statues, revealing nothing. She gave him a tiny upwards flick of her lips, twisting back around.

Lily looked up at Voldemort, and slowly, carefully, placed the feather in Harry's hands. She glanced at the seventeen year old image of Harry. He winked.

All of the ghostly figures exploded with a red light, and the Death Eaters started to shout as they were herded by the light out the gates, away from Hogwarts.

Voldemort hissed at Lily. "You might have beaten me this time, but I'll get you. You can't change what has already happened to your child. I'll kill you, and your husband."

Lily felt something nudge it's way into her hand, and glanced to see Harry, who was still shining with the red glow, smiling clumsily up at you. "Gwad," he gurgled, and Lily nodded, turning back to Voldemort.

"I'm glad."

Voldemort turned, and once out the gates, he disappeared silently.

Lily glanced around her, seeing as the Professors and students hugged each other, congratulating each other, helping those who needed help. The only one not celebrating was Sirius Black. His face was white, and he stared at his best friend. Lily let out a choked sob, crawling over to James, shaking his shoulder.

"Please don't be dead," she gasped, her eyes burning and hot. "Please."

James didn't move.

* * *

**A/n: Answer to most of your questions: It was a cliff-hanger because that's what I'm good at. Haven't you noticed that more that 70 percent of my chapters end with cliffies?**

**Dedicated to Tebitha78, since her review came to me when I was trying to write the seventh version of this, sneeze, swallow a giant pill and try not to pull my hair out because of my yearlies with came a week early. I would have given up if it weren't for her. (See guys, I do read your reviews!)**

**Why seven versions of this do you ask? Well, mostly because I COULD NOT GET IT RIGHT (oh, and we all love the number seven, don't we guys?). I sat there, with the scene all nice and perfect in my head, and I couldn't get it out onto paper. Or keyboard. I tried writing notes, I tried talking out loud to myself, hell I even tried singing. And well, it didn't come out perfect, but hey, I refuse to write anymore in my condition. My condition being a nervous breakdown (and a cold) mostly driven by the stress of my yearly examinations coming a week early, and the threat of another few next week. Oh, and I could not get our beloved (cough) Dark Lord into character. He's a hard chap in the best of times, but throw in Snape, a temperamental Lily, four new characters I really didn't want to put in but had to, a baby, ghost thingies, and no Dumbledore to balance the whole thing out and you get a huge big jumble of confused characters. So sorry if some are out of character. Yes, there is a tiny hint of ex-Snape/Lily, mostly sparked off by recent polls in fandom. It means nothing, just me adding flavour. Don't kill me.**

**The snatches of sentences are half purely imaginative, half belonging to the books (from memory and my copy of OotP, which I opened randomly) but I thought all had something to add to the story. All said by Harry. **

**Ahah. Peter, yes, I knew I'd get around to him. What can I say? As much as we all hate him (I as going to put a different word instead of him, one that started with 'b', but decided against it), I feel there's got to be a reason fro him doing the things he did. And yes, you guessed it, he was Imperiused (remember that lovely Defence lesson they had?-that's where it started) but I know what's going to happen next and I will not tell you. Yet.**

**And James? I'm still bloody sobbing my heart out, and I know what happens!**

**Please poke and prod me, I might give you clues. Specific questions though, not "Oh, is Voldemort going to come back?" or something equally annoying.**

**Less than five chapters to go. This is one of the longest A/Ns I've written. Sorry.**


	26. I'll Do Anything

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 26: I'll Do Anything**

_Love is this funny thing that I heard of once,_

_I thought it was silly, thought the person was a dunce._

_Never thought it'd get me, never thought it'd come,_

_No matter what they tell you, it isn't very fun._

_But I know one thing- for those I care for,_

_I'll do anything- I'll hurt myself and more._

_As long as those I love are safe, I'm glad,_

_And now I know life isn't so bad.

* * *

_

Lily's hands were twisted in James's robes, and she felt the first drops of rain land on her neck, cold, wet and refreshing. She stared with a numb feeling in her stomach, her eyes deadened as she gazed at the back of James's head. Gently, fearfully, she rolled him over.

His skin was waxy, a slightly yellow tinge to the white of his cheeks. Lily rested her hand on his forehead, and it was rapidly cooling under her warm touch. The rain had started a fine drizzle. Lily's hand trailed down his face, a finger tracing his lips.

A hand rested on her shoulder. "Come on Miss Evans, we best move him," said the rough voice of her Defence Professor, Professor Oucirus. Lily didn't move, her eyes never leaving James's face. Oucirus shook her shoulder more insistently. "Come on."

"No," Lily said softly. "I-I can't."

Sirius's voice sounded near her, "Come on, L-Lily," his voice cracked. He glanced over her shoulder, at Peter. The boy was sitting up, and his hands seemed to be shaking uncontrollably.

"Is he-" Peter gulped, "Is he dead? D-did he d-die?"

Lily's arms were shaking, and the same question ran through her brain. James wasn't moving. She couldn't even see a rise of his chest that meant he was breathing. The Defence Professor knelt beside her, a hand going to James's wrist. He dropped it a few minutes later.

"We best get him up to the school, can't leave him out here- it ain't right," he said gruffly. He stood up and conjured a levitating stretcher, and with Sirius's and Lily's help, James was taken away. Sirius went to Peter. Lily quietly busied herself with collecting Harry in her arms, who was asleep.

"You okay?" Sirius asked, his voice low. Peter nodded, his face still stunned. The battle-weary threesome joined the throng trudging back up to the castle. As Lily passed by Snape, their eyes caught, and she paused. Peter put a hand on her arm.

"Leave him Lily. This is all his fault." Peter's voice was cold and dead. Lily wrenched her arm free.

"Go to the castle Peter, I'll ... I'll catch up," she turned to Snape and Sirius and Peter left. "It was you, wasn't it?" She said softly.

Snape looked at her, his face unreadable. "Some things have to be done, Evans." he glanced up to where Sirius and Peter were walking solemnly beside James's body. "I didn't plan for anyone to die...at least now."

Lily looked him in the eye. Silently she turned her back on him and walked off, and Snape was left alone. Once she was out of his sight, he followed.

The pressing need to be with those who'd been at the battle urged at Lily to take action, but she ignored it. Remembering that as Head Girl she had responsibilities, Lily made her way to the seventh floor corridor. The portrait on the wall seemed slightly brighter. The figure emerged from the shadows, inclining it's head. "The Chosen One," she said, and the portrait opened.

Scared faces, anxious voices and nervous activity greeted Lily. People bounded forward, demanding news. A sixth year noticed her subdued manner, and called for attention. Lily thanked them, and spoke. "Thankyou. It's over. You can go back now."

People grinned, streaming out, pushing and shoving and laughing. Alice slipped from the crowd and touched Lily gently on the elbow. "Is everyone ok?" she asked softly.

"I'm fine," Lily said.

Alice's hand held her elbow tighter. "I said, is _everyone_ alright?"

Lily tried to nod, but quickly changed it to a shake of her head. She desperately tried to fight the burning in her eyes, the tightening in her throat, the choking sensation in her chest. Her limbs ached, and something inside her felt like it was trying to claw its way out.

Alice's arms had wrapped themselves around her, Harry squished in the middle. Lily clutched to the shoulder of her friend's jumper, the soft wool wrapping around her curling fingers. Alice's hand patted her on the back. "What happened?" was the whisper in Lily's ear.

"James," Lily choked before the tears squeezed out of her eyes; her nose and eyes growing hot, her cheeks flushing. Her chest heaved with sobs, because Lily was scared, and she didn't know what was wrong, but she knew it was bad, and it had been a horrible morning, and it was oh-so-much. Alice made crooning sounds in her ear, holding her and she cried.

Lily hiccuped, wiping her eyes furiously. "I-I want-" she took a shuddering breath "-I want to see him..."

"He's in the hospital wing, right?" Lily shrugged, and they moved in that direction.

The Hospital Wing was very busy when they arrived, and she was immediately accosted by Sirius Black. His eyes were bright, and hope flared in Lily's chest. "He's alive!" Sirius crowed, pulling her over to one of the beds. James looked very pale against the white sheets. His eyes were still closed.

"What's wrong with him then?" Lily's voice said fearfully. Sirius's face fell, and gestured mutely to the matron who came over.

"What did you tell her?" she asked Lily sharply, pointing at Sirius.

"He is alive, right?" Alice affirmed.

"Just," said the matron stiffly- patting Lily awkwardly at her expression. "He's in what called a coma," she said shortly, fluffing James's pillow before moving onto the next bed.

"Wait!" Lily cried. "Can't you- I mean, wake him, or-"

Madame Pompfrey shook her head sadly. "That was a nasty dose of curse he got, not to mention the bump to the head. I could cause him serious damage if I woke him artificially."

Lily's eyes locked on James's form, and she willed the constrictions in her chest to go away. "But- he _will _wake, soon?"

"Hopefully. If you pray my dear- not that I'm the religious type, mind you- if I was, I'd have to burn myself at the stake..."

"What do you _mean,_ hopefully?" Lily said insistently.

Madam Pompfrey span around from where she was dabbing at a Ravenclaw's cut eyebrow. She spoke softly, sneaking covet looks around her as if scared the others would hear. "Miss Evans- Lily, James is hurt. His mind doesn't know whether it's safe. It's gone somewhere else, somewhere safe, while his body repairs itself. But whether his mind will ever recover...hope, my dear, is the only weapon you have against his illness."

Madam Pompfrey shuffled off to attend to the few others who'd been harmed, and Lily pulled up a chair, sinking into it. She held Harry to her chest tightly. Sirius bit his lip, looking helplessly at James.

"Healers," he said after a while, "Don't trust 'em. He'll be alright, you'll see Lily."

"And if he's not?"

Sirius had no answer to that.

Lily played with the tuft of jet black hair which was soft as the downy feathers found on a newly hatched chicken. Harry, amazingly, was still deeply asleep.

Peter took one look at James, and stood up abruptly. "I need some air," he announced, his eyes flickering between Lily, Sirius and James. "I can't breathe in here." He walked at an unnaturally fast pace to the door, bursting through them and running to the nearest window. He opened it and took gasps. He let out a choked sound. "Damn," he muttered. "So stupid."

"That you are," said a low, dangerous voice. Peter spun around, his eyes widening in fear. Severus Snape stood calmly opposite him. Peter scrambled in his pockets and pointed his wand at the Slytherin.

"Don't you- I swear, I can fight it now-"

"You can't and you know it," Snape said coldly. "I was distracted, that was the only reason the Imperious curse weakened enough for you to fight it- even still, I've been told it almost drove you into insanity." Snape smiled cruelly. "But if you think the only purpose was to get... that child, then you are mistaken."

Peter's eyes grew wide, and he could feel the window sill digging into his back. There was nowhere to run. No escape.

He'd nearly killed a child. What would happen this time?

"Wait!" He cried. "Just wait!" Snape paused, but Peter knew he didn't have much time. "Take me, I'll do anything, bend me to your will, I know you will anyway, but listen to me first. I am coming to you willingly."

Peter gulped. He'd always been the weak one, the stupid one, the coward. But this time he would be brave. He was never going to be forced into anything.

And he knew it would hurt. Nobody would ever understand why. But Peter Pettigrew was not going to be forced to do the Dark Lord's bidding without his consent.

He'd go into the snake pit and even become a snake himself, but no one was going to push him.

Peter Pettigrew was going of his own free will.

As Snape lifted his wand, Peter finally knew what it was to be a Gryffindor, to do something stupid and reckless but hopelessly brave.

He prayed then that someday he'd get control of himself again, and when the time came, he'd do everything in his power to help bring the Dark Lord down.

Because despite what they said, Peter was loyal to his friends and brave to his very bones.

It was just in a different way to everyone else.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall tore up the halls of Hogwarts, and came to the entrance to the Headmaster's office. Storming up and rapping loudly on the door, she didn't wait for an answer before she flew in, her eyes blazing.

The Headmaster sat serenely behind his desk, quickly snapping a drawer shut as McGonagall stood before him, her chest heaving with pants. "You-" she began, then took a deep breath. "Where-"

"Doing what I could to ensure that this school and its pupils remained safe," Albus Dumbledore said simply, answering her unasked question. At her sound of protest, he raised a hand. "There are other ways of fighting than going into battle Minerva. Not to mention that I found a group of older students trying to sneak out to- ah, join the battle, and not in favour of Hogwarts either."

Minerva had the urge to raise her hand to her mouth, but she held it firmly by her side. "They- they wanted to _join Him?"_

"It would seem so," the Headmaster replied, in a tone all too cheerful for the situation in Minerva's opinion. "But it doesn't matter- as of now, they are scrubbing the corridor outside the kitchens- the house elves can make quite a mess when they're nervous, you know. Papayas everywhere," the Headmaster shook his head in amusement. "I dread to imagine what the poor things would have resorted too if it were not for Doot."

McGonagall neither cared nor had the inclination to ask who or what Doot was, and placed her hands on the desk fiercely. "And what, pray tell, did you do to ensure that Hogwarts was safe while the head boy nearly got killed?"

Dumbledore's head jerked in surprise. "Nearly? That's good."

McGonagall narrowed her eyes. "Good? Excuse me, I hardly think that having James Potter, prize student and Chaser in the Hospital Wing on the verge of no return is good!"

"Well, he's _not_ dead, is he?" Dumbledore said reasonably. "If he was, I'd be terribly worried- yes, poor James."

"About time," muttered McGonagall under her breath.

"I mean, it would complicate things terribly for Lily Evans- who'd help her to take care of all aspects of little Harry's life?"

McGonagall's head sprung up sharply in confusion. Dumbledore smiled secretively, reached across the desk and patted her hands as an old lady would a little boy. "Don't worry, all will become clear in time." He stood up. "Well, you best show me the damage Professor. The boy's got a nice young face- terrible if he ruined it and all."

McGonagall watched the Headmaster carefully out f the corner of her eye as they made their way to the hospital wing, wondering if the Headmaster had finally cracked.

* * *

"You won't be walking much on that leg," Lily heard Madame Pompfrey say to one of her patients. "That was a very nasty curse."

Sounds drifted into Lily's ears like leaves in a breeze, barely registering in her muddled up brain. She knew that Remus Lupin had moved from his bed (she wasn't quite sure whether it was on the Matron's orders or not) to sit around James with his friends. Sirius had his head lowered so that his hair flopped about his head, and Peter was looking at James with a very green expression. Harry slept on.

"How is he?" said a voice behind her.

Lily leapt up, completely airborne for moment. "Professor!" she nearly shouted. "Oh, Professor Dumbledore-"

"Could I see him?" The Headmaster asked gently- Lily leapt aside, her heart pounding. Surely Dumbledore, the greatest wizard ever, would be able to do something to help James live, to wake him...

"Ah, good, the lucky boy got no scars."

Lily frowned. "Pardon sir? Is that really relevant? It's not as if it matters- all I want is for him to-" she choked, "-to live."

Dumbledore looked over his shoulder at her, raising an eyebrow in McGonagall's direction. "Oh, that settles everything then." He stepped back from the bed, and laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's lovely that love can bloom in such - ah - circumstances as we have now."

Lily blushed scarlet from the roots of her flaming hair to her toes. "Sir, I hardly think _love_ is the word- Love is a very powerful-"

Dumbledore merely smiled widely down at her. It was getting on her nerves. She wanted to shake him, wipe his glasses, get him to see how bad everything was, because he seemed to be unaffected by the burning in her chest, and she wanted him to share her pain because then maybe then he would see and stop smiling...

"Lily, are you okay?" Remus asked, and her heart slowed slightly at the sound of Remus's weak voice.

"N-no," she said heavily, sitting down again. "Professor, please, what can I do? I need to help-I _have_ to."

Dumbledore looked up from where he'd been poking the sleeping Harry gently on the nose, placing the baby on the bed. "What has Madame- Pompfrey!" He smiled as the nurse came briskly over. "A diagnosis, perhaps?"

Madame Pompfrey glanced at the small crowd gathered around the bed, and ushered the Headmaster into a corner of the Hospital Wing, whispering frantically. The headmaster's expression grew graver with every agitated expression the woman gave.

Coming back over, he called over his shoulder, "Thankyou my dear, that was most...enlightening." He looked at Lily. "Have you tried talking to him?"

"Pardon?" Sirius asked. "He's unconscious-"

"He can still hear you." Dumbledore said. "A coma, as I'm sure the nurse has explained, is the mind retreating within itself to keep itself safe. Inside James's mind a battle is going on- should he awake or sleep forever? He has no way of seeing why he should wake up. But if you speak to him, you may convince him to awake."

The group of students looked at each other doubtfully. Dumbledore nodded at them. "You best try- good day Miss Evans, Mr Black, Pettigrew and Mr Lupin. Minerva, I think a cup of tea in my office should be an action we should take, don't you?"

Albus Dumbledore swept from the hospital wing.

Gulping, Lily leaned towards the bed and took one of James's deathly cold hands in her own. Everybody was saying there was no chance for James, but if there was something, _anything_ she could do to save him, Lily would do it.

"James," she said, "We miss you- Sirius, Remus, Peter. Even Harry. It's safe, you can come. Oh James, please come back. I-I," she paused to collect her thoughts, feeling increasingly silly with every passing word.

Sirius's hands closed around James's other, and the boy gave Lily an encouraging smile.

"Yeah, Prongs, you're missing out on all those lovely potions the nurse wants to give you! Come on mate..." He glanced at Remus, who shrugged. "Err, I'm sorry about before. Come back, yeah?"

They spoke to James for ages, finding it strangely relieving to talk about their worries for him. Soon though, Madame Pompfrey started to shoo them away.

"Out, I say, you've been here the whole day!"

"But-"

"No Miss Evans, I insist-"

To Lily's surprise, Sirius put a hand on her arms and spoke. "Madame Pompfrey, I think you should let Lily stay." Lily gave him a questioning look, but he wasn't looking at her, his gaze fixed firmly on the nurse. "She- she's got a good affect on James."

Madame Pompfrey dithered for a moment, then conceded. "I guess you can't put the boy in any more danger."

Later, Lily sat next to James's bed, staring out the window at the storm raging outside. Wind howled and rain threw itself angrily against the glass, and the rumbling of thunder and the flash of lightening lit up the room every so often. Harry hadn't woken at all since the battle, and was comfortably snuggled up to James. Lily rested her forehead on the glass, which was cold on her skin.

She felt her eyes closing against her will, the day's draining events finally taking its toll on her, and slowly, Lily Evans fell asleep, one hand still entwined with the boy- no, the man, she had learned to care for.

Because that's what school was for. Learning.

It was because she was asleep that Lily didn't see a tiny smile enlighten on James's face, but if she had seen it, she would have wondered why he was smiling. But for now, she was asleep, and the castle was silent, strong, and seemingly unaffected by the raging storm outside.

* * *

**A/N: I'm late, I'm late, for a very important update. Burn me beside Madame Pompfrey! But if you've been in the Leaky Cauldron Video Galleries recently, you've probably forgotten all about this story too! WHO LOVED THE TEASER? WHO LOVED THE HBO PREVIEW EVEN MORE? If you have no idea what I'm on about, get youself over to www. the-leaky-cauldron .org /videogallery . NOW.**

**Okay, answer time. For all those Peter haters out there, I'm sorry, but the guy was sorted into Gryffindor, and there _had_ to be a reason for that. If you want to talk on it more, feel free to PM me or just give me a review, I usually answer questions.**

**Snape, I still have yet to do something with, although I've already given a hint that he's nicer than he seems. Which is scary- a nice Snape.**

**I have the next chapter fully planned, and I'm praying I won't slack off like I've been doing. Lovely chapter, and I finally get to play with my ghosty-miragey-thingies again. The next chapter will include marshmallows. But it's not happy. Sorry, I've just got to be serious. Siriusly (bad joke, I know). **

**This chapter was officially the hardest to write. Ever. Getting Lily to cry without looking like a Cho-Chang wannabe is hard, and making Peter (who in my mind, despite all I write him to be, is an utter B&$&t#) brave is just beyond what I'm feeling up to (exams galore- luckily they've ended). Don't get me started on keeping everyone else in character. I'm still not sure if they are.**

**I've got a three day camp coming up, so I won't be able to write much before Saturday. I've been placed in the top three in my class (yet to find my position, I'll tell you when I find out) so you can be sure I'm not a- what's a nice word for a person who's stupid?**

**I'm exhuasted, but I hope you like the chapter. **

**Reviews, hate mail, invitations, plane tickets to your home town and wedding rings are all viewed by the author but do not constitute as a legal binding contract.**


	27. The Hidden Room

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 9th September, 7:11PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

* * *

**

**Chapter 27: The Hidden Room**

_In the furthest corner of my mind_

_Is a place that's safe that nobody can find_

_And it's in this room that I recover from my ordeal_

_Plotting and planning, preparing for the world that's real._

_And it's in this room that I long to break free_

_So I can return to all who love me_

_But I can't go until I'm ready, until I believe_

_That even though this room is safe, I really want ot leave_

_Because there are things worth living for_

_And I'll see them when I go beyond the door.

* * *

_

James was warm. James was safe. Nobody could hurt James.

Who was James?

James didn't know. Wait, _he_ was James.

No he wasn't. He was safe. And warm. And James.

Yes, he thought, I am James.

So?

Well, he didn't know! All he knew was that he was safe and that was all he wanted. Why would he want anything else?

"James, come back."

Back- but where? Who was James?

"James, it's safe."

He _knew that._ Who was the silly person telling him that?

"James, wake up!"

Wake? Up? Wasn't he already awake? Yes, of course he was awake! How could he be safe and warm and... here, if he weren't awake. Where was he? Well, it didn't matter. He was safe, awake, and very happy about it all.

Wasn't he?

Well, thought James huffily, it didn't matter as long as he was safe.

_No, _said a tiny voice in the back of his head, _why are you, James Potter, shying away from danger? Danger is fun- it makes you feel alive... more alive than you've ever felt before. You laugh in the face of danger!_

Did he really? Should he believe the voice?

_Yes, _said the voice, getting louder. _What is life without danger, and the fun that comes with it? Sure, life is not perfect. But what would the point be in paradise if there were no bad things in life?_

This place was extremely nice and safe. Was it paradise? Panicking slightly, James asked the voice it he were dead.

_Maybe._

It didn't matter, he told himself. Who cared? Not him- he was safe! That's all he wanted! Was somewhere safe where nothing could hurt him!

"James, we miss you."

_Who _was saying that? Who missed him?

The voice came back, a whisper in his ear, soft and lost. "Come back James, come back to me... don't leave me when I've just fallen in love with you! Well, I think I have-" a tinkling laugh "-but you're being such a mean prat at the moment-oh-" a sob "-come back, James. Nothing's the same without you. I need you."

Who needed James? Who missed him? Who was that distant voice who was crying as if he were dead, asking him to come back and wake up even though he was?!

_Lily, _said the tiny voice. _All the good things in life- but Lily. The girl. And she loves you. Lily._

Lily! Suddenly James wanted to go, from where ever he was, back to where ever she was. James wanted to be with Lily! Was she ok? Was she hurt- Where was he? How did he get back? He needed to get back to Lily!

His eyes flew open, seeing a pair of bright green eyes directly in front of him. "Lily!" he gasped, and the eyes moved back. The person's face came into focus, and James gasped. It was- it was one of those mirages! But, James paused there. This was not a mirage. This person- who James knew, although he could barely comprehend it- had to be his son, and he was solid as any other person. The boy looked almost identical to James- perhaps a few inches shorter, but if James could see correctly, the boy was the same, right down to the tiny crystal of dragon blood that had dried on the edge of the right hand rim of his glasses in James's fourth year. The same glasses, perhaps?

"Cool, you're alive," said the boy, and James gaped. That voice was almost the same as his!

"Cool, you're alive," he mimicked. The boy chuckled, and James was amazed to see what looked like himself laughing. The boy straightened up, gesturing around them.

They were in a circular room, the walls, floor and ceiling all made from the same material, a smooth stone that seemed to have no seams. Windows, showing nothing but blackness outside, were along the single wall running around them. To their right was a door, smooth and dark like the windows. In the middle of the room were two armchairs and a small campfire. "Uh...?" James said. "Err-"

"Take a seat," the boy said. "Time is so unreliable- especially here."

"Where are we?" asked James, warming his hands near the fire.

The boy shrugged. "No idea- but I guess it's some other place or something like that. Hermione probably knows something about it-"

James gave the boy a blank look.

"Oh-" the boy grinned, "She's a girl I know, well, really, Hermione's a friend-" James smirked, and the boy's eyebrows rose. "Not like that! Anyway, I've only been here once before- worked out how to get the couches!" He puffed up proudly. "Took me a while though. Three days. But you can make anything you want here, if you try hard enough."

"What, you sat in here for three days trying to make a couch? Why didn't you give up and walk through the door?" James gestured to the door- he'd figured by now that the door was the only way back to where Lily was.

The boy sighed. "It doesn't work like that. It only felt like a few moments in this room- I told you, time isn't reliable. And you can't get through the door unless you truly want it more than anything else."

"Well," said James, standing up. "That should be easy then- got a pretty girl waiting for me-" he winked, and the boy smiled knowingly. "Nice meeting you- you're my son right?"

The boy nodded. "It's Harry, by the way."

James smiled. "Well, yeah. Good luck in life and whatnot." He reached for the doorknob and turned- but it wouldn't budge. "Seems to be a bit stuck-" muttered James, rattling it. "Come on!"" He reached with one hand for his wand, to find it missing.

"No cheating," Harry said helpfully from behind him. "No wands can exist here."

James swore, kicked the door, and hopped about for a bit. A small chuckle came from Harry as James hobbled over to his arm chair and sunk into it, but shifted when he found something poking into his back. He reached behind him, and pulled out a brown paper bag of marshmallows.

"Entertainment," said Harry, handing James a long stick from the wood pile. "Enjoy."

James smiled awkwardly and started to toast a marshmallow, waiting until it was just nearly burning to pull it out of the flames, off the stick and into his mouth.

"I weeb do geb wack," he said, but it didn't come out properly due to his teeth being stuck together by melted marshmallow.

"I weeb geb wack do," Harry answered, "Buh id ish harr, wike I said."

James swallowed his marshmallow before speaking again. "So what do I have to do? Some weird magic? Travel to the ends of the earth? Discover who I really am or something equally psychotic?"

Harry chuckled, and the marshmallow on the end of his stick fell into the flames with a _fwump!_ "Blast."

James handed over the paper bag.

"Thanks," said Harry, choosing a pink one (James's favourite) and pushing it firmly onto the prong at the end of the stick. "But no, you don't have to do anything psychotic. Plus, I thinking the chances of anyone discovering who they really are is so improbably you'd best place your bets on being made infertile by your own time travelling son."

James swallowed his burnt marshmallow with difficulty. "Huh?" He reached up and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Anyway, what do I have to do?"

"Well, the baby- Harry- me- or my past-" Harry stumbled.

"Let me guess," said James, covering his face with his hand, "you want me to send him back or something- forgive me, I'm still a bit foggy on the details."

"Same," said Harry with a sigh. "And everyone I've asked doesn't remember it - then again, Lupin doesn't really like to talk much about you- after, well- you do know, right?"

"About me dying? Yeah, well, I knew Harry's parents had died, and since I'm his dad, it makes sense right?"

"Yeah. And everyone else- well, I'm not really in touch with a lot of people at the moment," said Harry, not meeting James's eyes.

"So Harry- the baby I've been looking after since the Hogwarts Express on September 11, is my son from my future, who's travelled back in time. Just before he time travelled, Voldemort killed his parents, but from what I saw, he couldn't kill Harry." James said, and got a nod from Harry. "Then Harry arrived in our carriage, and since me and Lily are Heads, we've been ordered- well, I kind of volunteered because I thought it'd impress Lily- to care for him- which is, not easy, I'll tell you Harry. Through a series of events, my friend Peter stole Harry to give to Voldemort, and I got knocked out, and I'm here. What's you story?" he gave Harry a long look.

"Erm," said Harry, seemingly taken aback by this onslaught of very vague information. "Well, you see, a couple of months ago, I started having this dream, ones where'd I'd save Hogwarts from Voldemort, and there were lots of me there, and everyone I was saving looked like ghosts. I thought I was going mad." Harry looked at his hands. "So did my friends when I told them about the dreams."

Harry took a deep breath. "But I realised, over time, that these dreams- even though they made no sense, were real. I started paying more attention, and I finally figured out what had happened. Not to mention my dreams, after a month or so, started to deposit me in other places- around you and mum, but nobody could see me. I started asking questions about what happened in your seventh year, and everyone was annoyingly vague." Harry suddenly looked up, his bright eyes looking deep into James's own.

They truly were Lily's eyes.

"I thought they didn't want to remember, like it hurt too much or something, remembering the time when my parents fell in love. But- then I started to ask even more, and I realised: they honestly couldn't remember all the details, James." His voice hardened, barely concealing the hurt he evidently felt. "They'd forgotten the best moments of my parent's lives."

"Did anyone remember the baby?" James asked, unable to hold his curiosity in check.

"No," said Harry hollowly, "Nothing." He closed his eyes, opened them and spoke, and his tone of voice silenced James. It was a strong voice, and it was simular to his own. But it had so much authority- it made James believe that this person _knew_ what to do, how to make everything better. It startled him to realise this was his son. His _son. _His blood, his flesh. Cool. "You have to make them forget, James, and send Harry- the baby- back. They can't remember. Never."

"Harry-" said James slowly, clutching the arm of his chair "-I don't know how to obliviate people full stop, how do you expect me to obliviate all those- I'd have to make all of the wizarding world forget, practically! Lily knows, _Dumbledore _knows-" his face paled "-Harry, **_Voldemort_ **knows!" He paused. "And I don't know the first thing about time travel."

Harry spread his hands, a lazy smile on his face. "Merlin, and they said you were arrogant!"

"Hey-" said James furiously. "That's no way to speak to- erm, your father! Yeah- don't speak to your father like that!"

"Calm down- dad-" Harry said, tumbling over the word _dad._ "I got you covered." He piked up the bag of marshmallows, holding them up. "Remember how I said you could make anything you want in this room?" James nodded. "What I didn't mention is that you can even make things that don't exist- last time I was here I made a-" his eyes widened, as if he'd said to much, "erm, I made a griffin shaped marshmallow to give to my friends- because, you can take things that don't exist out of the room, since technically they don't exist. Real things, like couches, exist, so you can't take them even if you wanted to."

"So you're suggesting I-?" James asked.

"Make a way to make everyone forget, _and_ send a baby forward in time."

"Am I insane?" James asked.

"I think the question is actually 'Are you insane?' "

"No, because I'm unconscious," said James, "So you're a figment of my imagination of my knocked out soul. And as a figment of my imagination, I control you. So I must be insane."

Harry shook his head. "Well that's stupid, because I'm unconscious too. I, um, got hurt- on a broomstick. I fell off." he blushed pretty hard. "Hermione and Ron are probably in a right state."

"So you're saying _I'm_ a figment of _your _imagination?"

"No. Only this room is our imagination. And anything we make in this room is from our imagination, except it becomes real- except people. They'd have to knock themselves out to get in here." Harry grinned. "Understand now?"

"No," James groused. "But it'll do." He scratched his neck. "So these thingies. How do we make them?"

"It'll take a bit out of you," Harry warned. "Actually, a lot."

"I'm unconscious. It can't hurt me that much," James shrugged.

"Try having a headache for ages, and not being able to even wake up," said Harry. "Oh, and if anyone's near your body, they might notice some affects to. If we make something really big, it might look as if you've died."

"_WHAT?"_

"Ever heard of those people buried because people thought they were dead but they weren't? I'm pretty sure it was because they were trying to make a battering ram to get out of this room instead of just doing the right thing to get out."

"Which is?" James asked hopefully.

"After we've fixed everything," said Harry with an air of mystery, getting to his feet. James stood up also, stuffing the bag of marshmallows into his pocket. "Now, what did it look, smell, sound, taste or feel like when Harry the baby arrived?" Harry asked.

"Hmm," said James, casting his mind back. "I felt pretty pleased, but I don' think that had anything to do with it, and well, it didn't really smell of much- no taste either...there was only this red glow."

"Red glow," muttered Harry. "What gives a red glow?"

"Stupefy? Fireworks? Lava lamp?" James said.

"no," said Harry dismissively. "Love, you idiot."

"Love isn't a glow," James pointed out, "It's a feeling. Sure it feels like it's a glow inside you, but-"

"No," said Harry, looking ahead through one of the black windows. "That how I must have travelled. That's how I'll travel back- ok, we can work on that later."

James gave him a look of confusion. "Right," said Harry, pacing, "How to make everyone forget. Make a machine, doesn't matter how it works really, but what to do with once we've done with it?"

"Put it in Dumbledore's office," said James with a stroke of inspiration. "He's got heaps of trinkets- make it look like the rest of them, then hide the machine first chance I get- I know the password after all, and I can see when he's not there- you know the marauder's map, right?" He shot at Harry, who grinned.

"That's a great idea!" Harry said. "What should it do, exactly?"

"It should be able to take any memories including a baby from anyone's minds since September 11, should make people's memory's foggy- I kind of feel bad for anyone who's got a test coming up- ad the battle must go," said James decisively.

"Good," said Harry, and James wondered just how alike they were at making plans. "It should be silver. With little bits coming off it and a way to set it off so Dumbledore can't figure it out even if he does notice it- maybe we should make it sensitive so only one person can set it off? That way, if you need to reverse it for some reason, you can just touch it and, well- a bit of your blood will do the trick."

"So I just prick my finger and everyone forgets- but how would I know I need to remember if I've forgotten?" asked James.

Harry looked down. "You can't forget." He looked really sad.

"What's so bad about that?" said James, thinking it would be cool if he was the only person who knew the truth.

"Well, you're going to remember everything. Even your death," said Harry in a quiet voice. "And you can't change it because you'd make a pardox." James took in a sharp breath.

Could he do that? Lily would get killed too- could he let her get killed without telling her? Or maybe he could tell her? But how could he just go to his death like that? He didn't want to die- not for no reason.

But looking at Harry reminded him that he did have a reason, a really good one. His _son._

Rubbing his temples, his looked at Harry. Then he reached out a hand and made Harry look at him. "I'd do that. Did you-" he took a swelling breath, "-think that your father, who died for you, wouldn't be willing to do it a million times over for you?"

"But you don't even know me," said Harry, vainly trying to guard his feelings on the matter.

"Excuse me?" Said James. "How dare you! Of course I know you! You are brave, and you like to laugh. You are a good heart, and whether you believe it or not, I love you. Sure, at this point in time I've only known a baby version of you for about three months, but that's enough for me." He gave Harry a fierce look. "I also know that you obviously don't know _me. _Because anyone who truly knows me would know that I'd do anything to do what's right by me. I've broken the law, and I've served justice- perhaps in an unorthodox manner- but never the less, if I know that there's a person who deserves to live and I can help them do that, not in a million years would I think to do differently!"

Harry stared at him with a gob smacked expression- then James found himself in a bone crushing hug.

"I knew Snape was wrong about you," Harry mumbled into his shoulder.

James, trying to salvage the moment, gave him a manly pat on the back, pulled away and raised his eyebrows. "Going to make this little trinket for Dumbledore or what?"

"Yeah," said Harry, his voice a bit thick. "Right, look through that window, and picture the machine. Picture what you want it to do, how it works. Oh, and give me a drop of blood."

"Blood?" said James in alarm.

"To set it," said Harry. James shrugged, picked up his pointy stick and drove it into his index finger. A shiny scarlet droplet formed onto his throbbing finger. "Drop it out the window," said Harry. James walked up to the black glass, and put his hand near it...only to find it was not glass. It was just a black expanse. "Don't stick your head out!" Harry called. "Just your finger." James stuck his hand out the window, shook his hand, and the droplet of blood flew off, hovering in the middle of the black expanse. James moved back and stood next to Harry. "I'll help you," said Harry, gripping the hand with the throbbing finger. "Just close your eyes and picture it. I'll tell you when it's there."

James closed his eyes and pictured the little trinket, shining silver, floating in mid air in that black window. He imagined being in Dumbledore's office, dropping some blood onto it, and making everyone who'd seen Harry or heard of him; everyone, forgetting. Everyone except him.

* * *

In the hospital wing, Lily moved her head onto a more preferable pillow to the window sill, onto James's chest, and listened to the steady beat of his heart.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

It stopped. Lily moved her head, trying to find that comforting thump. No thump. She sat up, frowning. James's pale face was white in the moonlight through the window. She placed her fingers on his wrist, using the muggle trick her mother had taught her to check for pulses. There was none. With dread in her heart, which was a cold, gnawing feeling, she checked his other wrist, his neck...

"Madame Pompfrey!" she screamed, raising a hand to her mouth.

"No," she whispered at James as the Matron called she'd be there in a sec (which would be all too late in Lily's opinion), "James. You can't do this."

She leaned towards him. "You can't die."

* * *

"Ah, you're awake," said Harry, and James looked around him. He was still in the circular room, only there was one addition. A silver trinket, shaped like a small dish propped up on baby's hands was placed by the door. James stood up to inspect it. In the middle was a lightening bolt shaped engraving leading to the base of what could only be an antennae.

"Wicked," he said. "How long have I've been out?"

"Three hours," said Harry. "They won't have shipped you off to your funeral, don't worry."

James gave him a panicked look that said _don't pull that trick on me. _"So," he said uncomfortably, "what about sending Harry the baby back?"

"Oh, that's easy," said Harry. "Because Harry's really going to need some glasses."

"Huh?" James said, eyes narrowing.

Harry tapped the glasses perched on his nose. "One of the few things I do know is that my father lost his glasses during his seventh year, but the night he died, they mysteriously turned up. Hagrid- yeah, he came to pick me up from the house - found this pair of glasses right near my crib, which is very weird since my dad wasn't anywhere near it, but picked them up because they were the only thing not damaged. I've had them ever since."

"And what am I going to do without glasses?" James asked.

"You've got a spare pair, haven't you?" Harry asked.

"Ah, yeah, but- well, these are _my_ glasses." Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine," James said, "but how are a pair of glasses going to help anyway?"

"Put them on the baby," said Harry, "just before you set this trinket off. I've worked on them while you were out. They'll send him back."

"But how-"

"Magic," said Harry with a grin. "You'll learn to love it." James shook his head in confusion.

"You're strange," he informed the boy who was his son.

"So are you," Harry answered. "Are you ready to go?" He made his way to the door. "Because I sure am."

James went to the door and picked up the trinket, putting it carefully in his pocket. The dish rattled, but otherwise it stayed in one piece. "Just open the door when you're ready," Harry said behind him. Was that hope in his voice?

James turned, and stuck out a hand. "Thanks- for, well, you know. And err, well, I just want to say- I was telling the truth before. I do love that baby- can't wait until he gets born."

Harry blinked rapidly whilst shaking his hand. "Thanks, dad. It means a lot to me."

"Same for me son- you ready then?"

"Yeah," said Harry, standing next to him "Just go back to your body- not the light. Get it James? Don't go towards the light."

"Hey, no sweat," James said, but his heart was pounding madly in his chest, beating out a tattoo. James put his hand on the door knob and turned it.

And once again, he was falling.

* * *

Lily sat numbly next to the bed. James was dead. _Dead. _As in, not alive. Never going to wake up ever again.

How could he do this to her?

Sirius was sitting on the window sill, a disbelieving look on his face. Remus was nursing a cup of tea that the nurse had offered everyone. Peter was staring out the window, brushing away the stray tears that rolled down his cheeks at intervals. Instead of the maximum six visitors, the Matron had allowed as many people to stand around in her beloved Hospital Wing. Lily didn't know why- what was the point? Being near his body wasn't going to help. The dead couldn't be brought back to life, not even with magic.  
"They said he was going to live," Sirius croaked into the silence.

That was it for Lily. With a wail, she threw herself over James's body (she hadn't let anybody cover his face- who could be so cruel?) and lay there, sobbing softly. Somebody was stroking her hair, and she reached up to push it away. The hand caught hers, holding it, and she raised her head.

James smiled weakly at her. "Hey," he whispered hoarsely, and she stared at him in shock.

Maybe she was mad. Maybe she'd been driven to lunacy by her grief. Because that was the only reasonable explanation to what she was seeing. James was alive. And she told him so. "You're dead," she choked out. James brought her fingers to his lips and brushed them across them.

"Not anymore," he whispered. "I'm back."

She gathered him into her arms, despite the Matron's protests that he must be weak, despite the fact that Sirius was calling his best friend's name, despite everyone, and held him close to her.

James was back, and there was no way she was letting him get away from her again.

* * *

**A/n: Despite the fact I make it a point to respect those who don't celebrate Christmas at this time of year, I'm giving you this chapter as a holiday gift. And no, your eyes aren't decieving you, it IS the longest chapter so far. I couldn't help it- and there was not way I was going to be so cruel as to cut it in half. Now- let me get a tissue ... damn these allergies.**

**Allergies to really soppy chapters, that is. Makes me leak from the eyes for some reason.**

**The circular room is like this place in a person's mind, the safe place they retreat to when they're unconcious. Time doesn't matter there, and that's how Harry got there. For those who are curious, Harry is seventeen when he came to that room. A tiny bit of back story to it- basically, he was on the Horcrux hunt, and was on his broom, fell off (yeah, right- like anybody would believe that Harry Potter just fell of his broom) and got knocked out ... **

**Now I've got almost six school free weeks (hail summer holidays in the southern hemisphere- much more strategically placed in the year if you ask me- starting the school year in September just never clicked with me) so hopefully I'll write a lot faster... and gasp, maybe get my other story that I'm planning on track.**

**Yes, I will be honest: I've left some room for a sequal, but I'm not exactly bouncing around to do it. We'll see, ok?**

**Questions, comments, flames, reviews, hate mail, love letters, inductions to secret societies and large boxes of tissues are all welcome.**


	28. The Plan Unfolded

**Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer**

**Date: Saturday, 9th September, 7:11PM**

**Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)**

**Summary: _Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."_**

**A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.**

**Disclaimer: What do you mean, I don't own Harry Potter? I've got all the DVDs, all the books, and a figurine. Of course I own Harry Potter!!!! (I will not be held at court because of sarcasm).

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**Chapter 28: The Plan Unfolded**

_It is with great sorrow that I tell you today_

_A tale of a father who sent his son away_

_But not for schooling or safety or hate_

_But because he loved him before his birth date_

_If that weren't enough for this poor man_

_But now he will bring death to more of his clan_

_He'll keep his mouth shut I'm certain it's true_

_With the death of his wife he'll have nothing to do_

_But to perish before her, tell her that "away you must goes!"_

_In the desperate hope that he may change what he knows

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_

It is quite surprising how many potions one must take after coming back from the dead, James realised, as he turned his head away from what looked like a goblet full of caterpillar innards. "Mr Potter-" said the Matron in a warning voice, and James reluctantly opened his mouth. They were quite alone in the Hospital wing - it seemed, now that James was 'alive', he was no longer of interest to anyone - that, and the fact that Madam Pompfrey had physically pushed everyone, including the headmaster, out the doors. She was very strong, for a nurse.

"There," she said, moving back as the potion came to a rest in James's stomach, which was rolling about in discomfort. "Everything should be on the mend, now."

"Was I even ill?" James muttered, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. In a louder voice he asked, "May I leave?"

The matron didn't look impressed by this idea, but since James had no more injuries for her to heal, it seemed she had no choice but to dismiss him. With a boyish grin, James leapt to the floor, staggering a bit. His legs felt like jelly. He spent a few seconds wobbling precariously before falling to the floor in a heap. The Matron rushed over, helping him to sit up, "I forgot, you might have trouble with your motor skills," she said, and James was sure he saw a look that told him she was going to push him back into bed.

"I can barely walk," James said feebly, "Is there a potion that-"

The matron fluttered her hand, "No, the only cure is to practise."

James gave her a wide eyed look. It was not often that she let a patient go, especially if they were falling to the floor every few steps. With her help, he got to his feet, swaying unsteadily. His head was swimming and he could barely feel the ground beneath his feet. He gave her a half-hearted wave, and lumbered towards the doors like a wounded animal. At the doors he paused, catching his breath, hating every fibre in his being for its weakness. Just how long had he been asleep to get this affect?

With a pant, his pushed the door open.

Outside, a small crowd was gathered. Seeing James, Sirius rushed over, gathering him into a brotherly embrace. James gratefully draped his arms around his friend's shoulders, and gave up on trying to hold himself up. With a grunt of surprise - for James had given no warning - Sirius caught his weight. "What the-"

"I've lost control of my motor skills," James mumbled. He felt himself being propped up between Sirius and - a glance to his left told him - Lily. She smiled up at him, wedging her shoulder under his arm.

"It's not surprising," she said very softly, as if the sound might hurt him, "You've been out for almost a month."

James gave a small yelp. "Seriously? - But I thought- well, it was only like an hour in the-" his voice trailed off. Should he tell Lily now? _Could _he? Looking for something to distract himself, he saw a bunch of papers clutched in Lily's other hand. "What're those? Please tell me I haven't got homework!"

Lily smiled as she and Sirius helped him down the corridor, Remus, Peter and several curious others trailing behind them. "No, they're..." she trailed off, looking uncertain. "They're adoption papers."

James's heart stopped for a moment and he looked sharply at her from where he was concentrating on the floor. A slight blush crept into her cheeks. "I'm going to adopt Harry," she said in a stronger voice.

"You _what?"_ James said, his mouth dropping open. He looked at Sirius for confirmation. "Please tell me this is a dream." Sirius shook his head, giving Lily a fond look - _where had that come from?_ thought James.

"No, you're not dreaming. It's a great idea, isn't it?"

"Are you insane?" James said, turning back to Lily. "You haven't even finished school yet- you haven't got a job, and- Harry can't stay with you!" It felt like everything was going out of control. _He _was supposed to fix the situation with Harry. He was supposed to send Harry back to his time, then marry Lily and live happily until their death. Without telling Lily that he knew they were going to die, of course.

"So?" sniffed Lily. "I've talked to Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, and they're fine with it - I've written to my parents-"

"What about his parents, huh?" James shot in.

"James, it's been three months since Harry's come here. Legally, I'm allowed to adopt him after three months has passed without contact from the parents, granted I can prove that I can physically and finically care for him." Her eyes went shiny with tears. "I thought you'd approve of me becoming his mother."

"_I do,"_ James said. "But- _why?"_

"I thought you were dead," Lily said fiercely, turning away, wiping her eyes on her shoulder. "What else did I have to live for?"

They had reached the portrait of the fat lady, and Sirius uttered the password. Lily and Sirius helped James into a chair, and his friends settled around him, yet Lily remained standing.

"Everybody was saying it was only a matter of time," she said, her voice cracking. "And I thought, what else did I have?"

"You have lots of things-" James protested weakly, still feeling like what he was experiencing was not real.

"No, James," Lily said, "Just when I'd set my heart on you- poof, you went and got yourself comatose! Harry was - Harry _is_ the only thing that came from, or brought our relationship together. I thought, if you did wake up that you'd- you'd-" she paused, "I thought you'd want to help."

James closed his eyes. Lily _couldn't _do this. Harry was _his _son- _her_ son. _He hasn't been born yet!_

"And," Lily gulped, "he's our son. I'm not sure if you've figured it out yet-"

"That's exactly why you can't adopt him!" James yelled, getting to his feet. His whole body swayed, and Lily jumped forwards to help. James swatted away her hand, leaning on the arm of the chair. "If _you_ haven't figured it out yet, he's a time-bloody-traveller! Doesn't that bother you that one day- if you adopt Harry, you're going to give birth to another him? And then what?"

"You saw what happened," Lily whispered. "In Dumbledore's office. I might have stayed outside the house, but I know you saw what happened." James's eyes widened. He'd forgotten about that. He'd forgotten that everybody, at this point, still remembered everything. He really needed to set off the trinket. _But why can't I talk to them about it first?_

Lily's eyes were wide and pleading, tears rolling down her cheeks. Remus, Peter and Sirius sat behind her, silent and wary. "Please James," she whispered, "let me do it. Where's he going to go anyway?"

James turned away from her, his heart doing a jig worthy of the national tap-dancing competition winner. She was convincing him, of all things, even though he knew, that if he did it Lily's way, something bad would happen.

It was breaking his heart in the very literal sense.

"I can't support you in this choice, Lily," he said, looking at the carpet, "I'm so sorry." Then, using the furniture and the walls, James limped over to the staircase and crawled up them, feeling weak not only physically, but because of what he'd done. Once in his dormitory, his rolled into his bed and shut the curtains. He rolled onto his side, then sat up sharply, something digging into his hip. He pulled out a small, silverly item, half the size of a dinner plate. The trinket that he'd made in the room. It was exactly as he remembered it. He pushed it under his pillow, laying back down. Then he closed his eyes, waiting for time to pass him by.

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It was later that evening, when James knew everyone would be in the great hall, that he sat up. Now was the time to do it. He would get the map, then find Harry and then-

"James?"

He froze, the curtains opened a crack. In the middle of his dorm stood Lily, looking forlorn. In her arms was Harry. Lily turned to see his face peeping out of his curtains. "Aren't you coming down to dinner, James?"

He shook his head, "I'm not hungry," he said in a low voice.

"Oh," Lily said, "Well, I was just thinking - maybe you needed some help -" she stopped. "It doesn't matter." She looked into his eyes, still with that expression of hope and longing. Did she expect him to change his mind now? She stood there for a few moments, then her shoulders sagged a bit, and she went to the door.

"Wait!" James said, and she turned around, her eyes hopeful. "C-could I- could I look after Harry?" he said softly, hating himself for crushing Lily's hopes, and for deceiving her. But instead, her eyes shone brighter, and she crossed the room quickly, eagerly pushing the infant into James's arms. Harry twisted to look up at James.

"Have fun," Lily said airily, leaving the room quickly. James shifted Harry in his lap easily, and climbed out of bed. He could stand a little bit easier this time, and despite the occasional sway, James doubted he would fall over. He went through his trunk for the Marauder's map, but came up empty handed. He went through Remus's things, then Sirius's and then, in a desperate attempt, through Peter's he came up empty handed. Running his hands through his hair in frustration, James growled, and looked over to Harry, who was sitting on Remus's dresser, looking perplexed. Then James remembered- the battle- Filch.

Filch had the map.

James worried his lip, going over to Harry. Surely nobody would be in the Headmaster's office? Everyone would be down in the Great Hall, having dinner. James looked out the window, to find it was snowing outside. He'd forgotten that it would soon be Christmas. It seemed that he'd forgotten a lot of things.

Gritting his teeth together in determination, James went to his bed and fished out the silver trinket from under his pillow, placing it carefully in his pocket. He found his spare pair of glasses in his trunk, and put them on, leaving his other pair in his other pocket. Picking up Harry, he made his way, slowly, out of Gryffindor Tower. His feet would sometimes trip, or not move at all, but soon he was nearing the Headmaster's office.

The gargoyles saw him coming, and one said, "You won't find him up there, boy."

"Exactly, Pecan Nougat," James said, and the gargoyle had no choice but to allow him past. James let the stairs take him up, panting heavily. He pushed his way into the office, and stood, wheezing slightly.

The portraits on the wall were all sleeping, some snoring, some muttering. A magnificent scarlet and gold bird dozing on a perch, merely opening an eye as James entered before burying it's head into its feathers once again.

James was unnerved by the lack of commotion. It was almost like he'd been expecting to be stopped, for someone to ask him what he was doing.

Yet it seemed the only person who would be asking him that would be himself, thought James with dismay. He walked around the room carefully, looking at all the painting as the tables with various bric-a-brac. He found a small circular table covered in blood red velvet in the corner, and pulled the silver trinket from his pocket. He carefully placed it between an ancient looking sneakoscope and what looked like a silver carrot turned upside-down on top of a bed of glitter. James stepped back to view the result, and was pleased to note that, had he not placed it there, he would never have given it a second glance.

Harry was squirming in his arms. "Hey son," James said softly, sitting down in one of the chairs. "Ready to go back yet?"

Harry burst into wails. "Yeah, me too," James said, patting him on the back until the infant was hiccuping. "But I have to do it- and I'll see you, as soon as you're born. I'll try to make it happen as fast as I can, but i wouldn't rush your mother- nice as she is, I don't think she'll have any qualms with making me sleep on the couch."

Harry blinked.

"When you're older, you'll understand," James said wisely. "But don't you worry about it a bit until then."

Harry gave him a smile his single tooth sticking out awkwardly. James fished out the enchanted pair of glasses and put them on Harry- the glasses did not fit in the slightest. James put on his spare pair of glasses, and the world came into focus again. James grinned at the cheeky image, then moved over to the small table again. He pulled out his wand, then glanced at Harry.

Harry's green eyes looked at him, full of trust, and James couldn't help himself. He gathered the small boy into his arms, burying his nose into the tuft of jet black hair, so like his own. Tiny hands gripped his robes, and James squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to do this - it was cruel, not only to himself but to everyone around him.

He didn't want Lily to die. He loved her too much.

But he loved Harry too.

Harry pulled back, his tiny button nose resting against James's own, bigger nose. Green eyes stared into hazel.

"Dada," Harry said, so softly. "Dada okay."

"Yeah," James whispered back, "Daddy's going to be okay." Harry grinned, apparently pleased at this answer.

James shifted, holding one hand over the silver dish, his other arm holding Harry in place, his wand held out. With a quick, slashing motion, he brought his wand downwards across his palm. Blood spurted out, red a vibrant, splashing across the disk. The blood formed geometric lines and patterns, and James held Harry tight as blood dribbled in a thick, steady flow onto the trinket. Was it enough?

A red glow seemed to be shining off the blood. It throbbed like the pain in James's hand, in tune with his heart beat. Every time, the throb got bigger and the glow got bigger.

Then a shock wave of light radiated from the trinket, knocking James back. Wave after wave battered into James, until he was on his back on the floor. The light surpassed the windows, the walls, and James knew they must be sweeping across the country, wiping memories from people's minds. Waves were bright red, warm, and almost comforting.

In James's arms, Harry began to glow too. Instead of waves that sprung out, like earthquakes form an epicentre, it was more of a light, dancing around the child. James gave a moan, "No..."

The light spread outward suddenly, bathing the whole office in a red light. For a moment, it hovered, and James wondered (and perhaps hoped) that Harry was going to stay.

Then, faster than it had spread outwards, the light rushed back, the orb surrounding Harry tightening.

With a flash, Harry was gone.

James lay on his back, gasping and sobbing. _He's gone, he's gone, he's gone,_ chanted in James's head. His eyes screwed up at the pain in his chest. It felt like there was a wild animal locked up inside him, crying to get out. James got to his feet, staring at his palm.

His slashing spell had done the tick, and there was a long, thing cut horizontally across his palm, in the shape of a lightening bolt. He glanced over to the silver trinket, and saw that it was glistening oddly, but there was no trace of blood. Outside, snow fell peacefully. Had the trinket worked? Had everyone forgotten? Was Harry really back to where he'd come from?

James crept quietly out of the office, back to Gryffindor tower, not even noticing that he could walk steadily, for his nerves made him shake like an old man.

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He sat in the common room, waiting for dinner to be over. Soon, students started to trickle into the common room, chatting and laughing. Every time he heard the portrait open, James woudl look up to see if it was his friends or Lily.

It seemed forever, but a short while later, four seventh years came in, and spotting James, hurried over, looking quite worried.

"I have got the biggest headache," Sirius announced, flopping into a chair opposite James. "James, you seriously shouldn't have made me do all that studying- first you, now me!"

"Err, what?" James said, bewildered and Lily settled next to him on the couch.

"Uh, Potions essay?" Sirius said. "Does that jog your memory?"

"What was it about again?" Lily said dreamily, and James turned in panic to her. He wouldn't call her a swot, but Lily _never_ forgot what an essay was about.

"I can't remember either," muttered Remus. "Which is really weird, because I did it just before dinner."

"You did?" James said. The four gave him weird looks.

"Maybe you should visit the nurse," Peter said, fiddling with his thumbs nervously.

"Uh, but she gave me a clean bill of health," James pointed out.

"She did?" Sirius said. "Did you go to her during dinner?"

"No," said James in irritation. "You know? Me being in a coma for a month?" His friends gave him looks showing that they clearly thought him mad. Lily put a hand on his knee, looking into his eyes in confusion.

"It wasn't a month James, it was only a few hours," she said with a small laugh. "You don't go into a coma just because you bump your head with me."

"Oh, I don't know, you've got a very hard head," Sirius joked.

"I bumped my head with you?" James said in confusion.

"When you tried to kiss me, remember?" Lily said, her eyes narrowing.

"No, I missed that part," said James, his stomach curling as he realised the truth of his situation. _Nobody _remembered_ anything. _Except _him._

"Well, I think you should have another lie down," Lily said, pulling him to his feet. "I'll escort you."

Sirius gave a couple of wolf-whistles s Lily lead a bewildered James up to his dormitory. "Get into your pyjamas," she ordered, fixing up his bed. James hurried into his flannel pants and shirt, feeling acutely embarrassed all of a sudden. He gave a small cough when he was done, and Lily turned around.

Suddenly he found her lips on his, and instinctively he pulled her closer to him. It was fast, it was slow, it was loving and passionate and frantic and careful all at the same time, just like he'd always imagined his kissed with Lily to be. But one thing was missing. James pulled back with a gulp, realising just how Harry had brought them together. He didn't understand how Lily was still- well, she loved him just as much as she had earlier that day, when Harry was still there.

"How did we get together again?" he wondered out loud, cradling her face between his hands.

"I don't know," Lily said breathlessly, "It's all foggy. But I'm glad we are."

James lowered his lips towards hers again, and realised something. Everything he'd ever known was a lie. He'd changed the past, but he couldn't stop the future. The impossible was possible. And sometimes, when you love someone, you have to lead them to their death, even when you don't want to, without even telling them you were going to do it. Before, he would have thought such an act was evil. Now he knew different.

But what really mattered was Lily, and he knew, one day, he would tell her the truth.

Their lips met again, and everything from the past few months flew completely from his head, just as thoroughly as any magic could have, and he understood what Harry had said in the locked room about Love being the key.

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**A/n: Please forgive me for the lateness of this chapter. There are a bunch of reasons. THIS IS THE SECOND LAST CHAPTER. Please tell me what you think and feel free to question me about ANYTHING. **

**Now, I very much doubt that I'll do a sequal to this. Perhaps a one shot, or triad or soemthing, but not a full fledged fic. I don't have the time or energy. BUT if I do, I'll be writing an alternate ending to this one in order for it to work with the idea of an AU. So thankyou.**

**Just now, I'd like to thank all the people who have constantly been reviewing as I wrote this- if it weren't for you I honestly (yeah, you hear this all the time, but I'm going to have my Oscar's moment and I don't care what you say) wouldn't have finished this. It would have sat there with ten or so chapters, gathering dust. Instead, I've spent just over six months pouring my heart and soul into this, in four different countries and countless airspaces. I've been through a winter and a spring and a summer. I've had 16 exams, 5 projects due. I've read over 500 fics in that time (believe me, it's possible). I've been through a New Year's Eve and a Christmas. I've brought at least four friends over to fandomness.**

**But now I'd like to tell you a very special story, which happened on the ninth of July exactly a year ago. It was 3:14 in the afternoon and I was incredibly bored. The temperature, if I recall, was very hot, even for a Sydeny summer day. I'd been reading my all time favourite book, Haryr Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. While it was my faourite book, I wasn't mad about it. I'd started to read the series a few months before the first movie came out. But curious, I got onto the computer and typed 'Harry Potter" into the Google homepage. First site I visited was Mugglenet.**

**I've never been the same since. Yes, you see, it's been a year since I discovered just how many people loved Harry Potter. I soon caught the fever and within a week, had introduced myself to this wonderful thing: FANFICTION. By February, after nearly a month of reading this, this, _magic,_ I registered myself onto February 23rd, to be exact. It's in my diary. Maybe, when my first anniverary of comes around, I'll tell you how I got my name, HPOD Sufferer. But for now, I'd just like to thank ALL the people in the Harry Potter fandom for being so crazy about Harry Potter, and allowing me to become a part of it.**

**Now, I just need to find a guy who loves it as much as I do and won't get bored, and I'll live happily ever after. But then again, with Harry Potter, why would I need that?**


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